XI National Party Congress elects Party Central Committee members

The 11th Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party on Thursday elected the Party Central Committee (PCC) members to lead the overall tasks of the nation during 2021-25.
Lists of the new PCC members are expected to be announced today (Friday) – the last day of the three-day National Party Congress. They were elected by 768 delegates, who represented all 348,686 Party members at the congress, held every five years to elect the new leadership.

On Friday, the new PCC is scheduled to hold its inaugural congress to elect members of the Politburo, the top political body in Lao politics. The current or 10th Congress comprises 11 Politburo members, including the Secretary General of the PCC and President Bounnhang Vorachit, Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, and the President of the National Assembly, Mrs Pany Yathotou.
An election is also scheduled to choose the new Secretary General of the PCC, the top post in the Party. The Party chief commonly also holds the post of state president. Both positions are currently held by Mr Bounnhang.
The inaugural congress will also elect members of the PCC’s secretariat and members of the PCC’s inspection committee. The current secretariat and inspection committee comprises nine members each.
The new Party leadership is facing great challenges to lead Laos as it strives to overcome the least developed country status amid difficulties, mostly triggered by internal financial difficulties and the Covid-19 crisis.
Thursday’s congress also reviewed the overall leadership of the 10th PCC over the past five years.
The election of the new Party leadership comes ahead of elections, also held every five years, to the top legislature and administrative bodies, which are expected to take place in the coming months.
Next month, a national election will take place to elect members of the National Assembly. Shortly after they have been elected, members of the parliament’s 9th legislature will hold an inaugural session to elect a new state president and prime minister, and approve new cabinet members.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
(Latest Update January 15, 2021)