Vietnam's lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously elected Communist party secretary general To Lam as the country's state president for the next five years, Reuters reported. Analysts suggest this consolidation of authority in one figure could tilt the one‑party state toward greater authoritarianism, while also enabling faster decision‑making, similar to its neighbour China.
The parliament endorsed the party's nomination, which officials said was finalised in a meeting in late March.
Lam, 68, a former head of public security, now holds a double mandate to rule the country for the next five years. He secured a second term as party general secretary in January.
PM Modi congratulates Lam
PM Narendra Modi congratulated To Lam on his election as Vietnam's president, expressing confidence that bilateral ties will continue to strengthen under his leadership.
Heartiest congratulations to Mr. To Lam on his election as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I am confident that under his leadership, the time-tested friendship between our two countries will continue to grow from strength to strength. I look forward to working…— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 7, 2026
A familiar consolidation
Lam previously held both posts for a few months following the death of party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2024. Even after relinquishing the state presidency to army general Luong Cuong, Lam often acted as if he had retained the role, travelling extensively and representing Vietnam in meetings with foreign leaders.
Analysts divided on consolidation
"Concentrating greater power in To Lam's hands could pose risks to Vietnam's political system, such as increased authoritarianism," said Le Hong Hiep, senior fellow at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
However, such consolidation "could enable Vietnam to formulate and implement policies more quickly and effectively," supporting growth, he added.
The combination of the two roles "will shift Vietnam's domestic politics to a new normal where most of the old assumptions about Vietnam's politics, including those about collective leadership, are no longer valid," said Alexander Vuving of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in the United States.
A new growth model
After the vote, Lam told deputies in a televised address that it was an honour to hold both posts. He pledged "a new growth model with science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the primary driving forces," and said he would prioritise self-reliance in defence. His top priorities, he added, were to maintain stability, promote rapid and sustainable national development, and improve "all aspects of people's lives."
Reformist backs national champions
In his first stint as party chief, Lam launched sweeping economic reforms designed to make Vietnam more competitive, drawing both praise and criticism.
He has vowed to pursue double-digit growth through a new development model less reliant on low-cost manufacturing; long the backbone of Vietnam's export-driven boom led by foreign multinationals.
Lam's moves have at times unsettled the administration and businesses, but he has shown pragmatic flexibility in executing them.
He has backed the expansion of private conglomerates but, before his reappointment, also issued a directive emphasising the leading role of state-owned enterprises, a move seen as reassuring party traditionalists.
Foreign Investor Concerns
Foreign investors, a key component of Vietnam's export-reliant economy, have often praised the country's political stability and see Lam as a pro-business leader. However, his backing of national champions and push for breakneck growth have raised concerns about favouritism, corruption risks, asset bubbles and waste.
'Bamboo Diplomacy' intact
As per Reuters reporting, in foreign policy, Lam has also been pragmatic, maintaining Vietnam's "Bamboo Diplomacy" while seeking to balance relations with major powers and expand international partnerships.
"Lam's double-hat would not signal any changes in Vietnam's foreign policy, even if there are concerns that Vietnam is concentrating more power in a single individual," said Khang Vu, a visiting scholar at Boston College.
