Vietnam’s President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has announced he is stepping down, sparking a potential power shift among the communist-ruled country’s leaders.

The move had been widely rumoured and follows the departure of two deputy prime ministers who served under him.

Mr Phuc, a former prime minister, had held the post of president since 2021.

The news that he is quitting comes during an anti-corruption drive led by hard-liners. Hundreds of Communist Party members are being investigated.

The president’s resignation requires approval from the National Assembly, which will hold an extraordinary vote on Wednesday that is expected to be a formality.