The President of Vietnam resigns after a year in office, 21 MARCH

 The President of Vietnam resigns after a year in office

 Vietnam's President, Vo Van Thiong, has resigned after serving nearly a year in office, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the Communist Party.

The Philippine president's resignation came in the midst of an intense anti-corruption campaign that affected the highest levels of the party.

The Vietnam News Agency said Thiong was guilty of "violations and shortcomings" and the party's Central Committee accepted his resignation.

The news agency added that Thiong violated unspecified “regulations” and “failed to set an example as head of state.”

She revealed that "Comrade Vo Van Thiong's violations and negligence had a bad impact on public opinion, affecting the reputation of the party and the state and his reputation."

She continued, "Aware of his responsibility towards the party, the state, and the people, he submitted his resignation from his positions."

The 53-year-old official's resignation comes as Vietnam is witnessing major political unrest, which also forced his predecessor to step down in an anti-corruption campaign that saw the dismissal of many ministers and the prosecution of major businessmen on charges of "fraud."

Thiong became president on March 2 last year after President Nguyen Xuan Phuc resigned, in an unusual surprise move in Vietnam, where political changes have long been carefully coordinated, with an emphasis on stability.

Before Fuc, only one other Communist Party leader had stepped down, and that was for health reasons

The position of president in Vietnam is largely ceremonial. The president ranks third in the country's political hierarchy.

While the president leads the country, he views the party's Secretary-General, Nguyen Phu Trong, as the real power holder   link