Vietnam

To Lam Unanimously Elected Vietnam's State President

Is To Lam's consolidated power Vietnam's path to prosperity or a dangerous regression into authoritarianism?

Published 5 hours ago

To Lam Unanimously Elected Vietnam's State President

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Above: To Lam takes his oath as Vietnam's president in Hanoi on April 7, 2026. Image credit: Dang Anh/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

To Lam's rise to general secretary and state president marks a defining moment for Vietnam's future. Placing people at the center of all policy, the unified leadership structure enables faster, bolder decisions that Vietnam needs to achieve its long-term goals, including 10% annual GDP growth and reaching high-income status by 2045.

Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News National Assembly of Vietnam

Government-critical narrative

The growing concentration of power in To Lam's hands is a troubling development. Evidently, To Lam is modeling himself after Xi Jinping, dismantling Vietnam's traditional system of collective leadership while using surveillance and repression to silence dissent. This change is a dangerous regression that threatens to set Vietnam back.

Council on Foreign Relations

Cai Shenkun on X