The National Assembly approved the relief of Nguyen Xuan Phuc from the Prime Minister position for the 2016 – 2021 tenure on April 2 morning, part of its ongoing 11^th session in Ha Noi.

Vietnamese leaders cast ballot to vote on the relief of Nguyen Xuan Phuc (first, left) from the Prime Minister position on April 2 morning (Photo: VNA)

By secret ballot, 446 or 92.92 percent of the 452 deputies present at the plenary sitting voted for the resolution on the relief, which will take effect when a new PM is elected.

On behalf of the parliament, Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue thanked Nguyen Xuan Phuc for the latter’s performance over the past years.

On April 1 afternoon, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong submitted the relief proposal to the NA, and legislators later held group discussion about this issue.

Nguyen Xuan Phuc, born on July 20, 1954, is a Politburo member in the 11^th, 12^th, and 13^th tenures; a member of the Party Central Committee in the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th tenures; and an NA deputy in the 11^th, 13^th, and 14^th tenures.

He served as the PM for the 2011 – 2016 tenure from April to July 2016. He was elected to this post for the 2016 – 2021 tenure at the first session of the 14^th parliament.

At a recent press conference, NA Secretary General and Chairman of the NA Office Nguyen Hanh Phuc said PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc was proposed to be elected the President of Vietnam, and that this is the first time an incumbent PM was nominated for the State Presidency.

Source: VNA