Vietnam’s Media Say Communist Party Chief Nominated for a Third Term

 

Several Vietnamese news organizations first reported that Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong had been nominated¹ for an unusual third term Wednesday.

Then they quickly changed the stories to say the party has introduced several "special cases for re-election to leadership positions at the 13th Party Congress."

Trong has already served two terms as secretary general, the top party position, since 2011. He is also the country's president.

At the age of 76, Trong is well over the age limit of 65 for re-election to the party's policy-making Politburo and Central Committee. Current party rules also limit its leader to just two consecutive² terms.

On Monday, more than 1,600 delegates³ began nine days of closed-door meetings at the ruling party's Congress. The Congress is held every five years.

During this Congress, a new leadership team will be chosen. Last month, the names of candidates for leadership positions were declared top secret.

The news organizations, including Tien Phong and VNExpress, said the information about Trong came from Hau A Lenh, a member of the party's Central Committee.

He reportedly said, "The General Secretary and President is one of the over-age nominees⁴ and a special case." The information was then changed to remove Trong's nomination⁵.

It was not clear if there were other nominations⁶ for the General Secretary position. The party has not made an official announcement. However, the Vietnamese website VN Express reported that another party official said last week that the Party Congress would consider changing the rules for a "special case."

International news organizations, including Reuters and Voice of America, could not reach Lenh. Two other party officials would not comment when asked about Trong's reported nomination.

In Vietnam's political system, power is supposedly shared among four positions: Secretary General of the Communist Party, President, Prime Minister and Chair of the National Assembly.

Since coming to power in 2011, Trong has become Vietnam's most powerful leader. He was the winner of a power struggle against a former prime minister at the last congress in 2016. He also became the third person to hold both positions of party chief and president in Vietnam history.

Trong's campaign against corruption⁷ has seen many high-level officials sent to prison, including one politburo member.

Words in This Story

consecutive - adj. one event that immediately follows another

1 nominated   

adj.被提名的，被任命的 动词nominate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She has been nominated for the presidency. 她已经获得了董事长职位的提名。
• The movie was nominated for an Oscar. 这部电影获奥斯卡金像奖提名。

2 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

3 delegates   

代表，代表团成员( delegate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The conference was attended by delegates from 56 countries. 此次会议有来自56个国家的代表出席。
• Delegates expressed strong opposition to the plans. 代表强烈反对这些计划。

4 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

5 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

6 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。