Resignation of Vietnam's parliament chief stirs fresh political problems

Vietnam's recent political turmoil intensified Friday as the head of its parliament resigned, the latest high-level government departure amid a widening anti-corruption campaign that has raised questions about the stability of the country.

Vuong Dinh Hue, the chair of Vietnam's National Assembly, submitted his resignation Friday after the Central Inspection Committee found that he had violated regulations governing Communist Party members. It did not specify what these regulations were, but it came four days after his assistant was detained on charges of abuse of power.

“Mr. Vuong Dinh Hue's violations and shortcomings, according to the Central Executive Committee, have caused bad public opinion and affected the reputation of the Party, the state and him personally,” the Vietnamese government wrote in a post on Facebook.

Hue was one of the “four pillars” of leadership in Vietnam — the others being the leader of the Communist Party, the prime minister and the president — which had made him a possible candidate for the future leadership of the party. His resignation is likely to add to anxiety among officials in Vietnam of an intensifying power struggle ahead of a coming leadership transition, in 2026, and to unnerve foreign investors who have flocked to the country in recent years. Hue was the fourth Politburo member to have resigned or been fired from his position since 2021. Last month, President Vo Van Thuong resigned after the Communist Party said he had violated its regulations.