At the start of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam on Monday, the country’s five most important leaders sat on a podium in Hanoi in front of more than 1,500 delegates. But the attention was particularly focused on the man in the middle. To Lam, the party’s 68-year-old general secretary, has consolidated his hold on power as the country’s top official since taking over following the death of his predecessor Nguyen Phu Trong in 2024.
Now he could not only be re-elected, but also significantly expand his power. As the Reuters news agency reported, Lam could also claim the position of president.
This would give him the same power in Vietnam as state and party leader Xi Jinping in China. In addition to this special personality, the other topics of the five-day conference, which is also intended to set the course for Vietnam’s further economic development, are losing importance.
Vietnam’s economy, which officially grew by eight percent in 2025 despite the uncertain global situation, is being affected by the consequences of geopolitical upheavals and American tariffs. This makes the goals of becoming an upper middle-income industrialized country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2045 more difficult to achieve.
Supreme representative and most powerful man
But the timing still seems good for Lam to also take on the office of president. Like his predecessor, he had held it for a short time – but these were only temporary solutions. At that time, he apparently did not think it was possible to maintain the unusual accumulation of offices for a long period of time.
“After a year in power, he now feels confident enough to propose such a measure,” says political scientist and Vietnam expert Nguyen Khac Giang, who researches at the Southeast Asia Institute ISEAS in Singapore, to the FAZ
It would be the first time that the two offices would be combined in one person for a long period of time for the next five years. According to the expert, Vietnam’s system would thus adapt to the practices of other communist countries. In addition to China, the leaders of the communist parties in Laos, Cuba and North Korea also serve as heads of state. With the change, the most powerful person would also be the one who represents the country to the outside world.
Like his predecessor, Lam has already taken on more representative tasks. Giang says he made around twenty trips, including to countries such as China, the USA and Russia, which are important for Vietnam. He had, in effect, already taken over some of the president’s duties.
More market economy
It wouldn’t be the first time that Vietnam has taken China as a role model. The country traditionally has a difficult relationship with its large neighbor. Among other things, Hanoi is in dispute with Beijing over territory in the South China Sea.
Two years ago, the expert Giang explained in an essay how Vietnam’s leadership was inspired by China’s reform and opening-up policy, the strengthening of party rule there and the Chinese anti-corruption campaign. As in China, even the top leadership was not spared in the campaign that Lam’s predecessor Trong pushed forward.
As Minister of Public Security, Lam was the one who implemented the campaign. In the case of the former official Trinh Xuan Thanh, who was kidnapped in Berlin, To Lam was also named as the client. However, the diplomatic scandal did not harm him. Rather, the party leader, who is considered a “hardliner,” was able to improve his position in the fight against corruption.
The leadership includes more and more officials from the security apparatus and the military who are loyal to him, as well as allies from his home province of Hung Yen.
Lam shows himself to be a person of power with the traits of an autocratic ruler. But he is also a pragmatist, says Giang. Under his leadership, Vietnam is turning more towards market economy reforms and supporting the private sector. But the prospect of Lam securing even more power also causes unease. Vietnam is actually “allergic” to excessive centralization, says Giang.
“Of course, people are very interested in whether Vietnam will have one-man rule similar to China or whether the current four or five pillar system will remain,” said the expert.
Vietnam has favored a system of “collective leadership” since the “Doi Moi” reforms of the 1980s. It was previously based on the “four pillars” of Secretary General, President, Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament. Last year, the system was expanded to include a “fifth pillar” with the addition of another official, the so-called permanent member of the party secretariat. Observers see this as an attempt to compensate for Lam’s even greater power in the future.
It remains to be seen whether Lam can still be reined in, says Giang. Instead of becoming an undisputed “supreme leader” like Xi, he will probably remain a “first among equals,” says Giang. The delegates in Hanoi may also prevent his nomination as president.
It will be difficult to find out exactly what will be discussed at the congress. There are strict security precautions. According to agencies, the delegates will not have mobile phone access during the congress.
