Vietnam’s communist-dominated general assembly has elected To Lam, the party leader, to be the country’s president and head of state, an unusual concentration of power in one person.
He was elected unanimously by the 500 seat assembly which started sitting on Monday, following the Communist Party Congress in January, which makes all the big decisions about the country’s future direction.
This makes To Lam the most powerful leader in Vietnam in recent decades.
To Lam rose over the last decade by serving as the powerful Minister for Public Security, enforcing a nationwide anti-corruption drive which saw many of his potential rivals disgraced and purged.
In 2024, he took over the jobs of both general secretary of the communist party and president temporarily, after the resignation of then-president Vo Van Thuong and the death of party boss Nguyen Phu Trong.
There is reported to be opposition, especially within the military, to To Lam keeping these two top jobs after the party congress.
The Communist Party of Vietnam has always preferred collective leadership shared among the four most senior national positions, now expanded to five, known as the “five pillars”.
However, To Lam has now secured enough backing to take the two top jobs for the next five years, inviting comparisons with China, where President Xi Jinping has also concentrated power in his hands.
