

It’s the National Assembly that elected him. It’s like a Parliament, but there are no Executive or Judicial branches that are independent from it.
The Assembly seats 500. A unanimous vote still shows that people are afraid to cross the leader. Like Republicans with Trump, only there are no Democrats. There are a handful of “Independents,” with the vast, vast majority being Vietnamese Communist Party members.

Came here to write “kidney stones,” and yours was the only other mention. Gallstones hurt to a similar degree, but as they move in and out, you get some relief from the pain.