Vietnam Looks to Commercial South in Picking New Leaders

Vietnam on Tuesday appointed a new prime minister and president representing a fresh generation of reformists from the commercial south.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, 56, became Vietnam’s youngest prime minister since the country’s reunification in 1975, when the Vietnam War ended. He had been groomed for the job, and has a record of fostering economic growth as he took responsibility for overseeing the economy.

Nguyen Minh Triet, 63, the Communist Party chief for Ho Chi Minh City who is known for his tough stance against corruption, was approved as president by the lawmaking National Assembly.

Both were the sole nominees for their positions and each won more than 90% of the vote.

The two have experience in dealing with Western and regional investors and leaders. Their appointments mark a break from previous political transitions in which Vietnam’s top three posts -- party chief, president and prime minister -- were divided among the northern, central and southern regions.

Communist Party boss Nong Duc Manh, 65, who was reelected in April, is from the north.

Only one party is allowed in Vietnam, which is run by a collective-style leadership in one of the world’s few remaining communist countries. The prime minister is in charge of overseeing the day-to-day workings, and the president holds a more ceremonial position.

The country’s most powerful leader is the head of the Communist Party.