Parliament set to elect Vietnam’s new president, PM early next month

Vietnam’s new president and prime minister are expected to take their oath of office on April 2 and 5 after being elected by the National Assembly.

Addressing the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Monday, Nguyen Hanh Phuc, its general secretary, said the election would occur during the upcoming session of the 14th National Assembly scheduled to last 12 days from March 24.

According to schedule, the NA, Vietnam’s parliament, would cast its secret ballot to dismiss incumbent National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on March 30. A day later, the new legislature leader would be sworn in following the election.

On April 1, the NA would cast a secret ballot to allow incumbent State President Nguyen Phu Trong to step down. The committee would then submit the list of nominees for election to the NA.

On April 2, the new head of state will take the oath of office.

The same day, the NA would hold a secret ballot to allow incumbent Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to vacate his position. The newly-elected president would then submit the list of nominees for prime minister to the parliamentary body.

The new PM is expected to be sworn in on April 5.

The president is the country’s top representative in both internal and external affairs and commander-in-chief of the military. Vietnam is led by four « pillars » comprising its Party chief, president, prime minister and NA chair.

The 13th Communist Party Central Committee last January reelected Trong, 77, for a third term as Vietnam’s Party General Secretary.

At the upcoming session, parliament members would dismiss and elect some other key appointments in the state apparatus, including vice president, chief justice of the Supreme People’s Court, head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, some vice chairmen of the National Assembly, members of the NA Standing Committee, secretary general of the National Assembly and deputy prime ministers and other members of the government.

By Hoang Thuy – VnExpress.net – March 15, 2021