HANOI — Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party re-elected To Lam as general secretary, positioning the 68-year-old leader to become the country’s most powerful figure in decades as Hanoi sets an ambitious target of at least 10% annual economic growth from 2026 to 2030.
Lam was unanimously backed by the party’s 180-member Central Committee at the close of the weeklong National Party Congress. While no formal announcement was made, analysts say the composition of the new 19-member Politburo indicates Lam is likely to assume the presidency, a move that would depart from Vietnam’s tradition of collective leadership.
The consolidation could speed policy execution and economic reforms but may weaken internal checks within the party, according to regional analysts, drawing comparisons to governance models in China and Laos.
In remarks after the congress, Lam emphasized the need for “double-digit growth” to transform Vietnam into a high-income economy by 2045. Leaders signaled a shift away from reliance on cheap labor and export manufacturing toward productivity, technology and a larger role for the private sector.
Lam’s rise follows his leadership of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign as public security minister, which sidelined senior officials and reshaped the party’s hierarchy. Since taking top office, he has overseen a major bureaucratic overhaul, ministry mergers and infrastructure pushes while advocating economic pragmatism over ideological rigidity.
Vietnam faces hurdles including demographic pressures, institutional reform needs, climate risks and trade tensions with the U.S., even as it balances relations with China, its largest trading partner and a strategic rival.
Analysts describe Lam as a pragmatic reformer whose growing authority could accelerate Vietnam’s economic pivot — while intensifying debate within the party over governance, security powers and civil liberties.
