Vietnam elects first chairwoman of parliament
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan takes the oath of office after being elected as chairwoman of the National Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam Thursday, March 31, 2016. Vietnam's parliament on Thursday elected Ngan as its chairwoman, making her the first woman to lead the Communist-dominated legislature. (Thong Nhat/Vietnam News Agency via AP) (The Associated Press)
Vietnam has elected Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan as chairwoman of the National Assembly, making her the first woman to lead the Communist-dominated legislature, the assembly said on its website.
Ngan, 61, won 95.5 percent of the votes, it said Thursday.
State media reported that Ngan took the oath of office, vowing to "be completely faithful to the country, people and the Constitution."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ngan rose from director of the finance department in her home province of Ben Tre in the southern Mekong Delta to vice chairwoman of the assembly five years ago.
Her appointment was widely expected when she was re-elected to the powerful Politburo at the Communist Party Congress in January.