Vietnam’s Communist Party will nominate current General Secretary To Lam to stay in the top job, according to people familiar with the matter, paving the way for him to push on with a reform programme that is reshaping the nation.
In a rare and politically significant move, Lam will also be put forward to hold the dual role of the nation’s presidency, the people said, asking not to be identified because they are not authorised to speak publicly. This could face a challenge when it gets to the party congress, where all leaders are up for election, and would still need parliamentary approval, the people added.
The decision was made at the 15th plenum of the Party Central Committee, the people said, an event that comes ahead of the twice-a-decade party congress scheduled to take place in Hanoi next month. The conclave is where the country’s senior leadership will officially be elected for the next five years and major policy targets will be set.
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The nominated candidates were endorsed “with an overwhelming majority of votes”, Lam said in closing remarks posted on the government website, without naming anyone. “We sincerely thank the Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat for the confidence placed in us,” he said on behalf of those “who have been entrusted with the nominations” for the coming term, according to the post.
If Lam secures the presidency, it would be the first time in the modern era that Vietnam’s party congress has given its seal of approval to one person holding both offices, except as a temporary measure. That would represent a major political victory for Lam, who briefly held both posts in 2024.
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Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to a request for comment.