HANOI (Reuters) – One of the most senior members of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party has been removed from its elite Politburo due to “violations and wrongdoings”, state media reported on Thursday citing a party statement.
Thuong Thi Mai’s removal would be the latest upheaval in Vietnam’s top ranks following the exit since March of both the national assembly chairman and the state president, two of the country’s four “pillars” of leadership.
Mai ranks fifth in Vietnam’s political hierarchy. With her departure, only two of the top five leaders are still in their jobs, including the party chief and the prime minister.
The web portals of the party and the government had yet to post statements of her reported removal by late afternoon.
Mai was the only female in the Politburo, the most powerful decision-making body in Vietnam, which now has only 12 of its 18 statutory members.
“During her time as a Politburo member … Ms. Mai had committed a number of violations and shortcomings in implementing the regulations on what party members are not allowed to do,” media outlet VietnamNet reported.
(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen, Khanh Vu and Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Martin Petty)
