General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party

General Secretary of the
Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party
ເລຂາທິການໃຫຍ່ຄະນະບໍລິຫານງານສູນກາງພັກປະຊາຊົນປະຕິວັດລາວ
since 15 January 2021
Lao People's Revolutionary Party
StyleComrade (Formal)
TypeParty leader
Supreme leader
AppointerCentral Committee
Term length5 years
Formation22 March 1955
First holderKaysone Phomvihane

General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party is the office of the highest-ranking member of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). Since the party's takeover in 1975, its leader has been the supreme leader of Laos.[1] The General Secretary is also the Chairman of the Defense and Public Security Commission, the commander-in-chief of the Lao People's Armed Forces. From 1991 to 2006, the office was titled Chairman of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. The Party's Central Committee elects the General Secretary. The General Secretary usually also becomes President of Laos eventually, though from 1975 to 1991 and from 1992 to 1998 he was usually Prime Minister.

Officeholders

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Central Committee(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
General Secretary
Kaysone Phomvihane
(1920–1992)
22 March 1955 29 March 1991 36 years, 7 days IIIIIIIV
(1955–1991)
Chairman
Kaysone Phomvihane
(1920–1992)
29 March 1991 21 November 1992 1 year, 237 days V
(1991–1996)
Khamtai Siphandon
(born 1924)
24 November 1992 21 March 2006 13 years, 117 days VVIVII
(1991–2006)
General Secretary
Choummaly Sayasone
(born 1936)
21 March 2006 22 January 2016 9 years, 307 days VIIIIX
(2006–2016)
Bounnhang Vorachith
(born 1937)
22 January 2016 15 January 2021 4 years, 359 days X
(2016–2021)
Thongloun Sisoulith
(born 1945)
15 January 2021 Incumbent 2 years, 357 days XI
(2021–2026)

References

  1. ^ Mark A. Lamport (2018). Encyclopedia of Christianity in the Global South. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 446. ISBN 978-1-4422-7157-9.