President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
ປະທານປະເທດ ແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ
National Emblem
National Flag
Incumbent Thongloun Sisoulith since 22 March 2021
Executive branch of the State Office of the Presidency
Style	His Excellency
Type	Head of state
Member of	LPRP Central Committee LPRP Politburo LPRP Secretariat LPRP Defence Commission
Residence	Presidential Palace, Vientiane
Seat	Vientiane
Nominator	Lao People's Revolutionary Party
Appointer	National Assembly
Term length	Five years, no term limit
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Laos
Inaugural holder	Souphanouvong
Formation	2 December 1975 (48 years ago) (1975-12-02)
Deputy	Vice President
Salary	1,170,000 Kip per month[1]

Politics of Laos
Constitution Marxism–Leninism Kaysone Phomvihane Thought
People's Revolutionary Party National Congress (11th) Rules Central Committee (11th) General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith Secretariat (11th) Standing Member Bounthong Chitmany Politburo (11th) Inspection Commission (11th) Chairman Khamphan Phommathat Vice Chairman Vilayvanh Boudakham Defence and Public Security Commission (11th) Chairman Thongloun Sisoulith
National Assembly 9th term President Saysomphone Phomvihane Standing Committee (9th) President Saysomphone Phomvihane Presidency (9th) President Thongloun Sisoulith Vice President Pany Yathotou Bounthong Chitmany Government (9th—list) Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh Deputy Prime Minister Chansamone Chanyalath Sonexay Siphandone Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune State Audit Organisation (9th) President Malaythong Kommasith State Inspection Authority (9th) President Khamphan Phommathat Judiciary People's Supreme Court (9th) President Viengthong Siphandone Supreme People's Procuracy (9th) Supreme Prosecutor Xaysana Khotphouthone
Mass organisations Front for National Development Standing Committee President Saysomphone Phomvihane Women's Union Central Committee President Inlavanh Keobounphanh Youth Union Central Committee General Secretary Alounxay Sounnalath
Military Defense Lao People's Army Head: Thongloun Sisoulith Ministry of Defense Minister: C. Chanyalath
List Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Saleumxay Kommasith Diplomatic missions of / in Laos Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Related topics Elections Administrative divisions (provinces districts) Human rights LGBT rights Committee for Independence and Democracy (CIDL) Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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The president of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is the head of state of Laos. The current president is Thongloun Sisoulith, since 22 March 2021. He was previously elected as the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Laos' most powerful position in January 2021, ranking him first in the Politburo.

History

Background

The office of the President of the People's Democratic Republic traces its lineage back to Prince Souphanouvong, the first President of the People's Democratic Republic, a member of the deposed royal family and one of the Three Princes, who became President when the former Kingdom of Laos was overthrow by the Pathet Lao in 1975, at the end of the Laotian Civil War.

Duties and rights

Term limits

The president is elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years, with no term limits. A candidate must receive at least two-thirds support from lawmakers present and voting in order to be elected.

Role and authority

The president represents Laos internally and externally, supervises the work as well as preserving the stability of the national governmental system and safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of the country. The President appoints the prime minister, vice president, ministers and other officials with the consent of the National Assembly. Additionally, the President is the commander-in-chief of the Lao People's Armed Forces.

However, as Laos is a one party communist state. The highest and the most powerful political position is the general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, not the President. The general secretary controls the Politburo and the Secretariat, Laos' top decision-making bodies, making the officeholder as de facto leader of Laos. However, the offices have often been held concurrently.

Since Laos is a one-party state, all the presidents of the People's Democratic Republic have been members of the party while holding office.

List of presidents

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Election	Prime minister(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Souphanouvong ສຸພານຸວົງ (1909–1995)	2 December 1975	29 October 1986	10 years, 331 days	None	Kaysone Phomvihane
–		Phoumi Vongvichit ພູມີ ວົງວິຈິດ (1909–1994) Acting	29 October 1986	15 August 1991	4 years, 290 days	None	Kaysone Phomvihane
2		Kaysone Phomvihane ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ (1920–1992)	15 August 1991	21 November 1992	1 year, 98 days	1991	Khamtai Siphandon
3		Nouhak Phoumsavanh ໜູຮັກ ພູມສະຫວັນ (1910–2008)	25 November 1992	24 February 1998	5 years, 91 days	None	Khamtai Siphandon
4		Khamtai Siphandone ຄຳໄຕ ສີພັນດອນ (born 1924)	24 February 1998	8 June 2006	8 years, 104 days	1996 2001	Sisavath Keobounphanh Bounnhang Vorachith
5		Choummaly Sayasone ຈູມມະລີ ໄຊຍະສອນ (born 1936)	8 June 2006	20 April 2016	9 years, 317 days	2006 2011	Bouasone Bouphavanh Thongsing Thammavong
6		Bounnhang Vorachit ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ (born 1937)	20 April 2016	22 March 2021	4 years, 336 days	2016	Thongloun Sisoulith
7		Thongloun Sisoulith ທອງລຸນ ສີສຸລິດ (born 1945)	22 March 2021	Incumbent	2 years, 340 days	2021	Phankham Viphavanh Sonexay Siphandone