Government & politics — Laos
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Government & politics at a glance
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations. Key figure for Laos: Lao People's Democratic Republic
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Identity & names
- Full Country Name
Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Country Name
Laos
- Local - Long
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
- Local - Short
Mueang Lao (unofficial)
- Abbreviation
Lao PDR
- Etymology- history of name
name means "Land of the Lao [people]"
- Independence
19 July 1949 (from France by the Franco-Lao General Convention); 22 October 1953 (Franco-Lao Treaty recognizes full independence)
- National Holiday
Republic Day (National Day), 2 December (1975)
Political system
- Government Type
communist state
- Constitution
- history: previous 1947 (preindependence);
- latest promulgated 13-15 August 1991 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president of the republic; amended 2003, 2015
- Legal System:
civil law system similar in form to the French system
- Executive Branch:
- chief of state: President THONGLOUN Sisoulith (since 22 March 2021); Vice Presidents PANY Yathotou an
- d BOUNTHONG Chitmany (since 22 March 2021) head of government: Prim
- e Minister SONEXAY Siphandon (since 30 December 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
- and approved by the National Assembly elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 22 March 2021 (next to be held in March 2026); prime minister nominated by the president, electe
- d by the National Assembly for a 5-year term election results: 2021: THONGLOUN Sisoulith elected president; National Assembly vote - THONGLOUN Sisoulith (LPRP) 161-1; PANY Yathotou and BOUNTHONG Chitmany (LPRP) elected vice presidents; National Assembly vote - NA; PHANKHAM Viphavanh (LPRP) elected prime minister;
- National Assembly vote - 158-3 2016: BOUNNHANG Vorachit (LPRP) elected president; PHANKHAM Viphavanh (LPRP) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA; THONGLOUN Sisoulith (LPRP) elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA
- Legislative Branch:
Description
unicameral National Assembly or Sapha Heng Xat (164 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote from candidate lists provided by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections
last held on 21 February 2021 (next to be held in 2026)
Election Results
- percent of vote by party - NA
- seats by party - LPRP 158, independent 6;
Composition
men 128, women 36, percent of women 21.9%
- Judicial Branch:
- highest court(s): People's Supreme Court (consists of the court president and organized into criminal, civil, administrative, commercial, family, and juvenile chambers, each with a vice pre
- sident and several judges) judge selection and term of office: president of People's Supreme Court appointed by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president of the republic for a 5-year term; vice presidents of the People's Supreme Court appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the National Assembly; appointment of chamber judges NA; tenure of c
- ourt vice presidents and chamber judges NA subordinate courts: appellate courts; provincial, municipal, district, and military courts
- Regions or States:
17 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 prefecture* (kampheng nakhon); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxay, Champasak, Houaphanh, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang (Luang Prabang), Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun, Xekong, Xiangkhouang
- Political Parties and Leaders:
- Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [THONGLOUN Sisoulith]
- Note: other parties proscribed
- Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
- Citizenship Criteria:
- no citizenship by descent only: at least one
- no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Capital & time
- Capital Name
Vientiane (Viangchan)
- Capital - geographic coordinate
17 58 N, 102 36 E
- Capital Time Difference
UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
International role
- International Organization Participation:
ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, 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 (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International Law Organization Participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
- Diplomatic Representation from US:
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargée d’Affaires Michelle OUTLAW (since August 2023) embassy: Ban Somvang Tai, Thadeua Road, Km 9, Hatsayfong District, Vientiane mailing address: 4350 Vientiane Place, Washington DC 20521-4350
telephone
[856] 21-48-7000
FAX
[856] 21-48-7040
Email address and website
- CONSLAO@state.gov
- https://la.usembassy.gov/
- Diplomatic Representation in the US:
chief of mission
Ambassador Sisavath INPHACHANH (since 7 June 2022)
chancery
2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 332-6416
FAX
[1] (202) 332-4923
Email address and website
- embasslao@gmail.com
- https://laoembassy.com/
