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Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party on Monday opened its National Congress, a closely watched political gathering that will determine the country\u2019s top leadership for the next five years and set its policy direction.<\/p>\n
The 14th National Congress, which runs through Sunday, is the country\u2019s most important political event. It is held every five years.<\/p>\n
In the single-party communist state, voting rights are restricted to senior party members, with nearly 1,600 delegates from across the country convening in Hanoi for a series of closed-door meetings at the National Convention Centre.<\/p>\n
Delegates will elect a 200-member Central Committee, which oversees major state institutions and in turn selects the Politburo \u2014 the party\u2019s most powerful decision-making body \u2014 before choosing the country\u2019s top leaders for 2026 to 2030.<\/p>\n
Unlike other communist systems such as North Korea, where Kim Jong Un wields near-absolute authority, or China, where Xi Jinping has consolidated power, Vietnam formally adheres to a model of collective leadership.<\/p>\n
The country is officially governed by five “pillars”: the general secretary, president, prime minister, chair of the National Assembly and, since 2025, the standing member of the Communist Party’s Secretariat.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the congress, speculation has grown that current party chief To Lam could seek to merge the roles of general secretary and president, potentially concentrating power in a move likened by analysts to Xi\u2019s leadership model. The announcement of the new leadership is expected on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Security around the National Convention Centre has been tightened, with a heavy police and military presence, road closures and mobile phone signal disruptions in the surrounding area.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n