To Lam Elected President of Vietnam

On April 7, 2026, To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, was unanimously elected President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for a five-year term spanning 2026 to 2031. The election, supported by all 495 members present at the 16th National Assembly session, consolidated both supreme party and state powers under To Lam. To Lam, who previously served as acting president from May to October 2024, took the oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the SRV.

In his inaugural address, the new president identified maintaining peace and stability as the prerequisite for achieving rapid and sustainable growth. He also outlined a strategic objective to transform Vietnam into a high-income nation by 2045, targeting double-digit annual economic growth rates over the next five years. On the same day, a new Prime Minister was expected to be elected to succeed Pham Minh Chinh, who has served in the role since 2021. Hanoi's foreign policy trajectory reaffirms the priority of its ties with Moscow, evidenced by the joint declaration on developing a comprehensive strategic partnership adopted by To Lam and Russian President Vladimir Putin in May 2025.