Vietnam Parliament Elects Party Chief Lam as President

Vietnam’s National Assembly has elected Communist Party leader To Lam as president, consolidating his hold on power in a country where leadership has typically been shared among top officials.

Lam, who secured another term as general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in January, now assumes the presidency,  the second-highest political office,  effectively combining leadership of both the party and the state.

Speaking after his swearing-in, Lam described the dual role as both an honour and a significant responsibility, saying it represents a solemn duty to serve the nation.

“For me, taking the responsibility of the general secretary and the president is a very huge honour, a responsibility, and a sacred and noble duty.”

Chairman of the National Assembly, Tran Thanh Man, said lawmakers unanimously approved Lam’s election for a five-year term running from 2026 to 2031.

Lam is the first Vietnamese leader to assume both positions through the party’s standard succession process, rather than in response to the death or sudden exit of a predecessor.

Since becoming party chief less than two years ago, he has moved swiftly to consolidate authority, sidelining rivals and advancing an extensive reform agenda that includes administrative restructuring and efforts to streamline government operations.

He has also set an ambitious economic target of 10 per cent annual growth, positioning Vietnam as a key manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia while pushing for development-focused reforms.