To Lam is elected Vietnam’s president, centralising authority and shifting the nation’s leadership from a collective model to a strongman style
HANOI: Vietnam Communist Party chief To Lam was elected president by the National Assembly, consolidating his authority in a historic shift of power.
The move unifies leadership of the party and state, effectively turning him into Vietnam’s “supreme leader”, according to analyst Le Hong Hiep.
It transitions the country’s leadership from a consensus-based collective model to a strongman leadership style, he told AFP.
National Assembly chairman Tran Thanh Man said 100% of present deputies approved Lam’s election for the 2026-2031 term.
In a speech after being sworn in, Lam called his new dual role a “huge honour” and a “sacred and noble duty”.
The parliament also elected Lam ally Le Minh Hung as prime minister on Tuesday.
Elevated to party chief in 2024, Lam has pursued an aggressive reform drive, eliminating government layers and cutting nearly 150,000 state jobs.
He is now promoting a “new growth model” targeting 10% annual growth for the Southeast Asian manufacturing hub.
“The odds of his reform programme succeeding have increased because he has further scope to push it forward”, said former US ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink.
Vietnam proved resilient in 2025, clocking 8% growth despite US tariffs, among the fastest rates in Asia.
The country faces a perilous balancing act between the United States, its main export market, and its largest supplier, China.
The conflict in the Middle East has also created headwinds, with fuel prices surging and possible shortages looming.
“There’s a risk this energy crisis could jeopardise their growth goals,” said Kritenbrink.
Lam referenced “numerous challenges” to “world order and international law” in a speech to the National Assembly.
He stated the nation that proactively implements strategic reforms and seizes new opportunities will rise and develop.
Vietnam’s ruling party tolerates little dissent and regularly jails critics, with more than 160 behind bars according to Human Rights Watch.
Lam is the first person to secure the top two jobs through the party’s normal leadership selection processes.