Asia > South-Eastern Asia > Laos > Laos Government Profile

Laos: Laos Government Profile

2015/02/21

laos choummaly sayasone, president

President: Choummaly Sayasone

Choummaly Sayasone, the head of the ruling communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), was appointed by the National Assembly in 2006 and re-appointed in June 2011.

His re-appointment for another five-year term marked a continuation of the authoritarian status quo in one of the world's most tightly controlled countries.

He was the only candidate nominated by the powerful politburo of the LPRP.

He succeeded Khamtay Siphandon as president in June 2006.

He took over the party leadership from the octogenarian former president a few months earlier.

The LPRP is the only legal political party in Laos.

Mr Sayasone is seen as a staunch ally of his predecessor, who served three terms and oversaw the country's entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 1997.

Choummaly Sayasone, who was born in 1936 in southern Laos, is a former defence minister and vice president.

Government Type: Communist state

The only legal political party is the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). The head of state is President Choummaly Sayasone. The head of government is Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong. Government policies are determined by the party through the powerful 11-member Politburo and the 50-member Central Committee. Important government decisions are vetted by the Politburo.

Laos adopted its Constitution in 1991, amending it most recently in 2003. The National Assembly, which has added seats at every election, approves all new laws, although the executive branch retains the authority to issue binding decrees. The most recent elections took place in April 2011, when the National Assembly was expanded to 132 members. Laos has enacted a number of new laws in recent years, but the country is still governed largely through the issuance of decrees. Many new laws are being passed at this writing. They are designed to bring Laos into compliance with WTO requirements as Laos aspires to become a member in the near future.

A small-scale insurgency against the regime that continued since the end of the Indochina conflict has essentially ended. Past incidents included attacks in 2003 and 2004 against various types of land transportation and public markets. There were reports of clashes in 2005 and 2007. In late 2006 and 2007, more than 1,000 former fighters and family members were estimated to have surrendered to Lao authorities, and there were no credible reports of clashes in 2010 or 2011. The United States opposes any acts of violence against the Lao Government.

Capital: Vientiane - 799,000 (2009)

Administrative divisions:scale laos 2

16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural);

Provinces (except 15 - Capital City):

Attapu
Bokeo
Bolikhamxai
Champasak
Houaphan
Khammouan
Louangnamtha
Louangphrabang
Oudomxai
Phongsali
Xaignabouli
Salavan
Savannakhet
Xekong
Viangchan (Vientiane)*
Viangchan
Xiangkhoang

Independence Date: 19 July 1949 (from France)

Legal System: civil law system similar in form to the French system. Laos has not submitted an International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdictiondeclaration; and, is a non-party state to the International criminal court (ICCt).

Government type: 

Communist state

Administrative divisions: 

16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence: 

19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday: 

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution: 

promulgated 14 August 1991; amended in 2003

Legal system: 

based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 

18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: 

unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: 

People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders : 

Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders: 

NA

International organization participation: 

ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Flag description: 

three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band