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Monthly Event Reports

July 2023 | Court sentences 54 individuals in high profile corruption case

On 28 July, the Hanoi People's Court handed down lengthy prison sentences to 54 individuals, including high-ranking officials, senior diplomats, businesspeople and a former deputy foreign minister on corruption and bribery charges linked to repatriation flights carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic. Those convicted were found guilty of "receiving, offering or being complicit in bribes, fraud and abusing positions of power." Four former officials at the ministries of foreign affairs, health and public security received life sentences. Political analysts consider the case to be one of the largest bribery cases in the country's history. The court's ruling marks a significant development within the country's extensive anti-corruption campaign, which has already resulted in the forced resignations of the state president and two deputy prime ministers in early 2023.

June 2023 | Continuing suppression of dissent

Vietnamese authorities arrested and detained prominent environmentalist and climate change campaigner Hoang Thi Minh Hong on 1 June for alleged tax evasion charges. Several staff members from founder Hong's non-governmental organization CHANGE were also detained but subsequently released. Human rights experts note Hong's arrest is part of a broader trend of targeting free speech and restricting civic space, with Hong's case marking the fifth prominent environmental defender arrested for tax evasion in the past two years. The United Nations states that at least 20 activists and human rights defenders have been arrested under wrongful charges in the past year, calling into question the independence of the judiciary. Human Rights Watch has furthermore criticized Vietnam's use of the vaguely worded and flawed tax used in targeting human rights activists, adding that most of the persecutions are politically motivated. According to Human Rights Watch, more than 150 political prisoners are being held in Vietnam for exercising free speech.   

March 2023 | Vo Van Thuong elected as new president

Vietnam’s National Assembly elected Vo Van Thuong as the country’s new president on 2 March. He replaces Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who was forced to step down in January in connection with a series of COVID-related corruption scandals. Thuong is currently the youngest member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Politburo and said to be a close ally of party chief Nguyen Phu Trong.

January 2023 | President resigns over covid-related corruption accusations

Vietnam's president Nguyen Xuan Phuc stepped down on 17 January following ruling Communist Party accusations of corrupt conduct by officials under his control. Phuc's departure marks the first resignation of a Vietnamese sitting president and is the highest-profile casualty of the country's anti-corruption crackdown. Two of the country's four deputy prime ministers were also expelled from the party earlier in the month. Analysts note that the resignation will allow party chief Nguyen Phu Trong to further concentrate political power.

Explore past monthly event reports

GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
98 168 830
System of government
Communist State
Head of government
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (since 2021)
Head of government party
Communist Party of Vietnam
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
Two-Round System
Women in lower or single chamber
30.3%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2021
Head of state
President Võ Văn Thưởng
Selection process for head of state
Indirect election (assembly)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
22/01/2019
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
75.60%
Population Tooltip
98 168 830
System of government
Communist State
Head of government
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (since 2021)
Head of government party
Communist Party of Vietnam
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
Two-Round System
Women in lower or single chamber
30.3%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2021
Head of state
President Võ Văn Thưởng
Selection process for head of state
Indirect election (assembly)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
22/01/2019
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
75.60%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
No Action
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
No Action
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

Representation neutral Representation
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Rights
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Rule of law
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Participation
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024

Global State of Democracy Indices

Hover over the trend lines to see the exact data points across the years

Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

Use the slider below to see how democratic performance has changed over time

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