Vietnam’s Communist Party Secretary General To Lam was unanimously elected president by the National Assembly on Tuesday for a five-year term, elevating him to the country’s most powerful leadership role in decades.
After his swearing-in, Lam said his immediate priority is to preserve peace and stability, which he described as the foundation for rapid, sustainable economic growth. He also pledged to raise living standards so that citizens share in the benefits of development.
According to the parliament’s website, all 495 deputies present endorsed the Party’s nomination; five lawmakers were absent. Lawmakers are scheduled to vote later the same day on a new prime minister to replace outgoing Pham Minh Chinh.
Lam’s assumption of both party chief and state president marks a significant shift in Vietnam’s power structure, where those roles have typically been held by different people. The consolidation aligns Vietnam’s model more closely with China under Xi Jinping and with Laos.
Analysts caution that concentrating power in a single leader could strengthen authoritarian tendencies in the one-party state, even as it may allow for quicker decision-making similar to that seen in China.
Since becoming party chief less than two years ago, Lam has rapidly reshaped governance: sidelining rivals, merging provinces, cutting eight ministries, reducing bureaucracy and advancing major infrastructure projects. He has promoted an ambitious “new growth model” intended to streamline decisions, stimulate the private sector and target double-digit annual growth over the next five years.
Alongside economic plans, Lam has emphasized defense self-reliance as a key priority.
Describing his dual role as both a “huge honor” and a “sacred and noble duty,” Lam reiterated his goals of maintaining stability, driving fast and sustainable development, and improving the quality of life for Vietnam’s citizens.