Vietnam Prime Minister sworn in by lawmakers

Newly elected Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, 61, is congratulated by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan during a ceremony at the Parliament House in Hanoi, on April 7, 2016

Hanoi (AFP) - Vietnam's new prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was formally voted in and handed a five-year term by lawmakers Thursday to round off a leadership change among Communist top brass.

Phuc was the only candidate nominated for the position by party officials earlier this year and won 90.26 percent of the votes in the rubber stamp parliament.