Since 2016 he was Minister of National Security. His appointment has restructured the power center of the Communist Party of Vietnam, but the position must still be confirmed in a session of the National Assembly.
Hanoi () – Minister of National Security To Lam is the new president of Vietnam. Main supporter of the “fire oven” anti-corruption campaign that, with thousands of more or less voluntary resignations and arrests, is restructuring the leadership of the Communist Party, he is the third representative called to occupy this position in just over three years and two months after the resignation of his predecessor, Vo Van Thung, appointed just a year earlier. However, his position, as well as that of the new president of Parliament, appointed on Saturday by the party’s Central Committee, must be confirmed this week in a session of the National Assembly.
The new role of To Lam, 66, who has headed the Ministry since 2016 and, as such, was also responsible for the repression of human rights movements, could favor him succeeding the Party’s general secretary when Nguyen’s term expires. Phu Trong in January 2026 (or sooner if he resigns).
Another important “succession” is that of the current vice president of the National Assembly, Tran Thanh Man, called to the presidency of the Vietnamese unicameral Parliament currently occupied by Vuong Dich Hue, who presented his resignation at the end of April for not better specified “violations and deficiencies “related to his position.
The quadrumvirate is thus recomposed, which, with the figure of the prime minister, is at the head of the power system of Vietnam. In this way, the country once again has a “truly cohesive, truly exemplary, vigorous and dedicated to the common cause” leadership, as highlighted by the Central Committee and reported by the official agency. Vietnam National Agency.
Without a doubt, the events of recent times have created a unique situation. The Politburo, for example, has been reduced to 12 members from the initial 18. Two heads of state have fallen from grace and been replaced, although the position is mostly symbolic and subordinate to that of the general secretary, the highest position within the single Party. The Central Committee and various commissions also suffered the wave of resignations and subsequent expulsions.
Equally significant in this sense was the departure of Trung Thi Mai on May 16. Not only because she was the first woman to achieve the position of permanent member of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, a body of primary importance second only to the main “four pillars”, but also because, together with To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had been identified as a possible candidate for the position of general secretary at the Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, which will be held in early 2026.
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