Luong Cuong
Vietnam’s National Assembly elected four-star general and top Communist Party official Luong Cuong president on 21 October 2024 at the beginning of a month-long session in Hanoi. The presidency is mostly ceremonial and involves meeting foreign dignitaries. The fourth official to fill the largely ceremonial role in 18 months, he currently served as the Chief of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA). Vietnam’s presidency had been a revolving door in the past two years amid a crackdown on corruption, known as the Blazing Furnace, spearheaded by Nguyen Phu Trong during his time as general secretary.
Cuong is a member of the Party Central Committee, 11th, 12th, 13th tenure; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, 12th tenure; Member of the Politburo, 13th tenure; Standing member of the Secretariat, 13th tenure. He was the only candidate in the vote in the legislature, streamed live on the government’s YouTube channel. Cuong, the permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Secretariat, took over from To Lam, who has held the post of president since May and became Communist Party general secretary in August 2024. Cuong had been in charge of the party’s daily operations since becoming the permanent member of its Secretariat in May when Truong Thi Mai resigned from the post after being accused of violating party regulations.
General Luong Cuong is a prominent figure in the Vietnamese military. Born on August 15, 1957, in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, he has held various significant positions within the military, particularly in the areas of political leadership and oversight. Cuong joined the army at the age of 18, and became director of the army’s General Department of Politics in 2016. That same year, then-party general secretary and president, Nguyen Phu Trong, elevated Cuong to four-star general, the army’s highest rank. Luong Cuong's role as the Chief of the General Political Department made him responsible for overseeing political education, ideological affairs, and personnel matters within the VPA. He has been a key figure in promoting the political loyalty of the military to the Communist Party of Vietnam, ensuring that the military adheres to the party's directives.
He had also been a member of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party and had served on the Party's Central Committee. His career reflected a strong alignment with both the military and political leadership in Vietnam, emphasizing the integration of political control within the armed forces. Luong Cuong’s influence extended to both military and political arenas in Vietnam, making him one of the most powerful figures in shaping the country's defense policies and maintaining the military's loyalty to the Communist Party.
Cuong, who was born in northern Vietnam’s Phu Tho province in 1957 and joined the army at the age of 18, became director of the army’s General Department of Politics in 2016. That same year, then-party general secretary and president, Nguyen Phu Trong, elevated Cuong to four-star general, the army’s highest rank. Some analysts consider Cuong to be politically inexperienced but he has taken on a more prominent role since Lam became general secretary in August, following Trong’s death, fuelling speculation he would be chosen to take over the presidency from Lam. On Oct. 11, during a four-day visit to China, Cuong met President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Xi’s powerful chief of staff Cai Qi.
At 67, Cuong is the same age as Lam. An age limit of 65 for reelection to Vietnam’s Politburo should put both out of the running when the next National Congress selects members of the top decision-making body in 2026. However, exceptions have been made, notably the decision to allow Trong to serve as general secretary until his death at the age of 80.
The president, prime minister, general secretary and parliament chairperson make up Vietnam’s so-called Four Pillars of government. The system is intended to prevent one person holding too much power, although the general secretary’s position is considered the strongest, with the other posts largely ceremonial. Vietnam’s presidency has been a revolving door in the past two years amid a crackdown on corruption, known as the Blazing Furnace, spearheaded by Nguyen Phu Trong during his time as general secretary.
Nguyen Xuan Phuc resigned as president in January 2023 to take responsibility for COVID-19 bribery scandals that happened on his watch. In March 2024, his successor, Vo Van Thuong, stepped down following a corruption scandal involving regional government officials. Some political commentators speculated that Trong took advantage of the Blazing Furnace to consolidate power and protect his position.
Lawyer Dang Dinh Manh, a U.S.-based observer of Vietnam’s politics, suggested that Lam had to relinquish the presidency to promote power-sharing and balance within the party. “Regardless of what happens, the people, who are the country's rightful owners, remain marginalized, merely watching political changes as spectators," said the lawyer, who was forced into exile after defending several activists. "These changes could deeply affect their lives, including their values of freedom, democracy, and human rights.”
Lam, public security minister during Trong’s time as top leader, has vowed to continue the corruption crackdown. Lam told parliament they should, “focus on controlling power in law-making, tighten discipline, promote responsibility, especially the responsibility of leaders, and resolutely fight against negativity and group interests,” according to a government TV transcript of his National Assembly address. As the current torch carrier for the Blazing Furnace campaign, Lam will be in as powerful a position as Trong was when it comes to protecting his position from challengers at the National Congress in two years’ time.
An age limit of 65 for reelection to Vietnam’s Politburo should put him out of the running when the next National Congress selects members of the top decision-making body in 2026. However, exceptions have been made, notably the decision to allow Trong to serve as general secretary until his death at the age of 80. Another exception would need to be made regarding Cuong’s lack of political experience, according to Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales, Canberra. He pointed out that Politburo regulations require the president to have served as party secretary of a province, municipality or head of a central department in a government ministry. Cuong has only held military and party posts.
In spite of the fact that Cuong has not held such a political position, he still has three important strengths, according to Thayer. “First, he is a specialist on ideology and a firm defender of Vietnam’s one-party state. Second, he has the support of the military and those elements of the party that wish to retain collective leadership under the four pillar structure. Third, he brings party seniority to the office of state president. Cuong has served three terms on the party Central Committee and will complete one full five-year term on the Politburo.” The four pillar structure refers to the president, prime minister, general secretary and parliament chairperson. The system is intended to prevent one of them holding too much power, although the general secretary’s position is considered the most influential.
- Date of birth: August 15, 1957
- Hometown: Duu Lau Ward, Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province
- Expertise: Bachelor of Party Building and State Administration
- Political Theory: Advanced
- Date of Party admission: 7/1978.
- February 1975: Joined the Army.
- From May 2003 - March 2006: Deputy Commander for Politics, Secretary of the Party Committee of Army Corps 2; Major General (February 2006).
- From April 2006 - December 2007: Political Commissar, Party Secretary of Army Corps 2; Major General.
- From January 2008 - May 2011: Member of the 11th Party Central Committee (January 2011), Political Commissar, Secretary of the Party Committee of Military Region 3; Lieutenant General (August 2009).
- From June 2011 - December 2015: Member of the 11th Party Central Committee; Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army; Secretary of the Party Committee of the General Department of Politics; Senior Lieutenant General (December 2014).
- From January 2016 - April 2016: Secretary of the 12th Party Central Committee; Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army; Senior Lieutenant General.
- From May 2016 - December 2020: Secretary of the 12th Party Central Committee, Member of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission; Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army; Director of the Central Military Commission's Inspection Committee; General (January 2019); Member of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption; Member of the Central Internal Political Protection Subcommittee.
- From January 2021 - April 2024: Member of the 13th Politburo; Member of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission; Member of the 15th National Assembly; Director of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army; Director of the Central Military Commission's Inspection Committee; Salary increase for General (January 2023); Member of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negativity; Member of the Central Internal Political Protection Subcommittee.
- From May 2024 to present: Member of the 13th Politburo; Standing member of the 13th Secretariat; Member of the 15th National Assembly; Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negativity.
- From October 21, 2024: President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the 2021-2026 term.
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