HANOI — Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party has begun its major five-yearly congress in the capital, where roughly 1,586 delegates representing the party’s more than five million members are meeting to choose the country’s next leadership and shape the nation’s political and economic agenda through 2031. The 14th National Party Congress, running from January 19–25, 2026, is the most consequential political event in the one-party state’s calendar, setting the course for governance and reform in the coming half-decade.
Opaque Deliberations Under Tight Security
The congress convened amid heightened security in Hanoi, with delegates electing about 200 members to the Central Committee, a body that will then select 17 to 19 Politburo members — the Communist Party’s top decision-making circle. From the Politburo, the party’s key leadership roles including the General Secretary will be determined. The proceedings are largely conducted behind closed doors, and all candidates are pre-selected by the party’s internal mechanisms without open electoral competition, meaning outcomes are often near-unanimous and the Vietnamese public has no direct vote in picking leaders.
To Lam Poised to Consolidate Power
At the center of this year’s congress is Tô Lâm, the party’s current General Secretary, who assumed the post in August 2024 following the death of his predecessor. Party insiders and analysts widely expect him to secure a full five-year term as general secretary — the most powerful position in Vietnam — and potentially expand his authority by seeking the state presidency as well, a move that would mirror leadership models in fellow communist states like China and Laos.
Lâm’s tenure has been marked by bold administrative and economic reforms, including cutting tens of thousands of bureaucratic positions, restructuring ministries, and launching large infrastructure projects. These changes have won favor with some foreign investors but also drawn criticism at home for accelerated elite influence and tighter control of media and dissent.
Policy Goals for a Transforming Economy
Beyond personnel, the congress will formalize a new five-year resolution outlining strategic goals for Vietnam’s economic and social development. Draft documents call for ambitious targets — including an average annual GDP growth of around 10 % through 2030 — and emphasize upgrading domestic industries, boosting high-tech sectors, and increasing the role of the private sector in national development. Such priorities reflect Hanoi’s broader efforts to transition from an export-dependent model to a more resilient, innovation-driven economy.
Broader Geopolitical and Social Context
The party’s agenda arrives against a backdrop of intensifying U.S.–China trade tensions, global economic uncertainty, and evolving regional dynamics in Southeast Asia. Delegates will also integrate policies addressing national security, environmental protection, and deeper international integration into the congress’s resolution, signaling a broader policy approach amid external pressures and internal development goals.
Legacy and Historical Continuity
The National Congress tradition stretches back decades and remains central to Vietnam’s political identity under the Communist Party’s leadership. Delegates opened the event with tributes to President Ho Chi Minh, the party’s founder, reinforcing ideological continuity even as leadership and strategic priorities adapt to contemporary needs.
The congress is scheduled to conclude on January 25, when the party leadership lineup and the final resolution will be formally adopted, setting Vietnam’s political and economic direction for the next five years.
