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The parliament in Hanoi is meeting Thursday in a special session on “personnel matters,” fueling speculation that President Vo Van Thuong may be pushed out. The official reason is likely to be related to provincial corruption scandals – but behind the scenes, Vietnam’s top leaders are vying for a position to replace ailing Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong.

Trong is 79 and was hospitalized in January with an undisclosed illness. Rumors even swirled that he had died before he appeared in parliament, still alive, but looking feeble.