Laos is a landlocked country located in Southeast Asia, or the Indochinese Peninsula, and is bordered with China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. The capital city Vientiane is located along the border close to Thailand.
Laos traces its historical and cultural origins all the way back to the 14th Century to the Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao which existed through to the 18th Century and was one of the largest kingdoms within the Indochinese Peninsula, and its location enabled it to become wealthy from overland trade and of which also enriched its culture. But the Kingdom would not last as eventually internal conflict would breakout and split the Kingdom into three separate Kingdoms, the Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, the Kingdom of Vientiane, and the Kingdom of Champasak.
These kingdoms would find themselves becoming vassals to larger and more powerful neighboring kingdoms such as Siam and Burma. The French would later arrive and unite the three Kingdoms into what is modern-day Laos and incorporated them into a French Protectorate in 1893, a part of French Indochina within their colonial Empire. During World War II French Indochina would come under occupation of the Imperial Japanese and following World War II Laos would see a brief moment of independence before its French colonial rulers returned.
Laos managed to achieve autonomy in 1949 through fighting the French in the First Indochina War and then finally won full independence from the French in 1953 and was ruled by a constitutional monarchy under the House of Khun Lo. Following independence though a civil war would begin from 1959 where Communists backed by the Soviet Union and Viet Cong fought against the Monarchy and military juntas backed by the United States. The civil war would come to an end in 1975, the same year the Vietnam War ended, and the Communist Pathet Lao took power, the armed Communist movement that had formed against colonial rule. The country received military and economic aid from the Soviet Union until 1991.
To this day the country remains a one-party state under the Lao’s People’s Revolutionary Party, which institutes a socialist state espousing Marxism-Leninism. The country’s economy has been growing fast due to the success of producing electricity and selling it to neighbors, and also other economic and political cooperation with neighboring countries, with Vietnam being a very evident example of very close economic, political, and military cooperation, which makes sense as the Viet Minh and Viet Cong had backed armed movements in Laos during the First Indochina War and the Laotian Civil War.
Despite a growing economy though and limited economic and market reforms, the country still remains generally poor. The country continues to be criticized for limiting civil liberties, performing human rights abuses including torture, and more.
The country’s official language is Lao, the largest ethnicity is the Lao people, but there are also numerous other ethnic groups in the country including the Khmu, Hmong, Phouthai, and others. The largest religion is Buddhism, but there is also a significant number of people who follow Tai folk religion. The country’s currency is the Kip, and the population is over 7,373,100.
Government Type
Laos is a one-party Socialist Republic with a President who is Head of State and Prime Minister as Head of Government.
The General Secretary of the ruling party is widely seen as the de facto leader of Laos due to its status as a one-party state, the General Secretary has always either also been the President or Prime Minister. Currently following the 2021 elections the General Secretary changed from Prime Minister to the President, making that position the current de-facto leader.
The national legislative and policy-making institutions comprise the unicameral National Congress. The ruling party’s Central Committee, and Politburo, also play a significant part in policy-making. Many important decisions are vetted by the Council of Ministers chaired by the Prime Minister.
Due to Laos being a one-party state no other parties are legally recognised apart from the single ruling state party. As the constitution proclaims, the Lao’s People’s Revolutionary Party is the leading nucleus of the country. It is possible for so-called Independents to run and be elected to the National Assembly but such would be vetted and approved by the ruling party.
Localized people’s assemblies and local administration also exist as well to represent provinces, districts, and villages, known as Provincial People’s Assemblies and Local Administration Authorities. There are also a number of state-recognised social political organisations such as the Lao Front for National Construction, the Lao Veterans Federation, the Lao Federation of Trade Unions, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union, the Lao Women’s Union, among others that have an aim to unite the multi-ethnic people, partake in state projects for the betterment of the nation, promote unified nationalism and sovereignty, play a part in protecting rights of the people, and right and duty to monitor activities of the National Congress and Local People’s Assemblies and administrations.
As it stands there are currently 17 provinces, which are further divided into districts and villages. The capital city is not located within any of the provinces and instead within a Prefecture.
The Executive Government
The President is the Head of State and has a number of duties and powers at their disposal.
There may also be a Vice-President that assists the President and executes tasks assigned to them by the President and acts on behalf of the President when they are preoccupied with other matters.
The Vice-President will also take over for the President until a new President is elected, if they can no longer perform their duties.
Presidential Powers and Duties
The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces and is the Chairman of the Council for National Defense and Security.
The President promulgates laws passed by the National Assembly within 30-days. The President does have the right to request a reconsideration of a passed legislative bill, but if it is returned again to the President then it must be promulgated within 15-days.
The President issues presidential edicts and decrees in accordance with the Constitution and laws.
The President convenes and presides over the Government’s special meetings, and attends meetings of the National Assembly Standing Committee if deemed necessary by the said Committee.
Appoints, transfers, and removes the deputy Prime Minister and members of Government after it has been approved by the National Assembly.
Recommends election or removal of Supreme Public Prosecutor, President of the People’s Supreme Court, and the President of State Audit, to the National Assembly.
Appoints and removes the Vice-President of the People’s Supreme Court, the Deputy Supreme Public Prosecutor, and deputy head of the State Audit organisation based on recommendations of the President or head of such organisations/bodies.
Decides on promotions and demotions at rank of general or above in the national defense and security forces based on recommendation by the Prime Minister.
Appoints ambassadors and plenipotentiary representatives of the country or recall them from foreign countries based on recommendation from the Prime Minister. Also accepts diplomatic staff of foreign countries accredited to Laos.
Declares matters of war or peace based on recommendation of the National Assembly, deciding on general or partial military conscription and to declare States of Emergency all over the country or in particular localities.
Decides on granting amnesty based on recommendation by the Government, and announces amnesties approved by the National Assembly.
Decides on granting foreigners political refugee status.
Negotiates and/or signs treaties and international agreements on behalf of the State, and issues ratification of or withdrawal from treaties and agreements signed with foreign countries.
Prime Minister and the Executive
The executive is led by the Prime Minister as Head of Government. The Government as the executive branch has the role of managing the State in a uniform manner throughout the country. The Government is responsible to the National Assembly and President. The Prime Minister and Government can be removed by the National Assembly.
The National Assembly can pass a vote of no-confidence in any member or all members of Government as long as the National Assembly Standing Committee or at least one-fourth of National Assembly members raise the issue. If a vote of confidence is passed the President can either ask the National Assembly to reconsider the decision or remove the member/s in question.
The Prime Minister is nominated by the President and approved by the National Assembly.
The Government aside from the Prime Minister includes Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, and Chairmen of equivalent organisations. Members of Government cannot hold their positions for longer than two consecutive terms (5-years alongside the National Assembly). These members are proposed by the Prime Minister, approved by the National Assembly, and appointed by the President. The Prime Minister can propose to remove and replace members with approval from the National Assembly.
It is the job of Ministers and Chairmen to have a role in developing and implementing resolutions of the meeting of the National Assembly, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, and Government. They lead, manage, and inspect implementation of the sector under their responsibility; they also connect and cooperate with, and sign agreements and sub-agreements with foreign countries with Government agreement.
The Prime Minister leads and manages the work of the Government and local administrations. The Prime Minister can directly appoint, transfer, and remove Vice-Ministers, Vice-Chairmen, heads of Sub-Ministry, deputy heads of Sub-Ministry, and heads of Department.
The Prime Minister also appoints and removes governors and mayors of cities with approval from the Provincial People’s Assembly. The Prime Minister also proposes to promote or demote general officers, and can promote or demote colonels in the national defence and security forces.
The Government has many duties including implementing the Constitution, laws, and resolutions from meetings of the National Assembly, as well as resolutions from the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, and presidential edicts and decrees.
The Government drafts laws to the National Assembly, drafts Presidential edicts to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, and drafts Presidential Decrees to the President.
The Government issues decrees and resolutions on State administration, socio-economic management, management in fields of science-technology, national resources, environment, national defence and security, and foreign affairs.
The Government determines the strategic plans for socio-economic development and annual State budgets which it submits to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.
Proposes establishment, merger, separation, or removal of ministries and equivalent bodies, provinces, and municipalities, and determination of province and city boundaries to the National Assembly. The Government can establish or eliminate sub-ministry, departments or other equivalent organisations itself.
The Government decides on establishment or elimination of districts, municipalities, and cities, and determine their boundaries, and submit to the Provincial People Assembly for approval.
Organises, monitors, and oversees activities of the sectoral organisations, local administrations, and national defence and security forces.
The Government reports on its performance to the National Assembly, National Assembly Standing Committee, and the President.
The Legislative Government
The Legislative Government includes the National Congress/Assembly representing the rights and interests of the multi-ethnic people according to the Constitution. It is the highest power organisation of the State. It performs the role of adopting the Constitution, amendments, and laws. The National Assembly makes decisions on fundamental issues of the country and monitors implementation of the Constitution and laws by State organisations.
The National Assembly currently has 164 members which can easily change through electoral law amendments and is not fixed to one number via the Constitution.
The National Assembly considers and approves strategic plans, socio-economic development plan, and State Budget plan. Also considers and approves fundamental policy of finance, money, percentage of State budget deficit, percentage of Government debt, and percentage of public debt. Considers and approves determination, amendment, cancellation, or exemptions of taxes and duties.
Resolutions are adopted by the National Assembly by vote of at least a one-half majority of those present, except for where special majorities are required by the Constitution. Draft laws can be introduced by the President of the State, the Government, the National Assembly Standing Committee, Office of the Supreme Public Prosecutor, the People’s Supreme Court, the Stare Audit Authority, and the Lao Front for Reconstruction and mass organisations at the central level.
The National Assembly can elect or remove the President and Vice-President of the country and members of the National Assembly Standing Committee. This committee in question has the power to recommend election or removal of the President and Vice-President.
The National Assembly Standing Committee is the National Assembly’s Permanent Body and its President and Vice-President are also the President and Vice-President of the National Assembly. It carries out duties on behalf of the National Assembly during its recess. It has a number of powers that include preparing and summoning the National Assembly into session; summoning the National Assembly to an extraordinary session; proposing establishment of new law; propose draft Decree to the President of the State; appoint the National Election Committee, power to appoint, transfer, remove judges of People’s Supreme Court, and Judges, President, and Vice-President of People’s Courts, and other jobs mentioned below.
The National Assembly establishes various other Committees to consider draft laws and presidential edicts, which are submitted from there to the National Assembly Standing Committee. The Committees assist the National Assembly and its Standing Committee to exercise oversight of the activities of all State organisations.
Members of the National Assembly have the right to question the Prime Minister, members of Government, the President of the People’s Supreme Court, the Supreme Public Prosecutor, and the President of the State Audit Authority. Such persons requested must give verbal or written answers to the National Assembly.
The National Congress can remove the Prime Minister if recommended by the President.
Also elects and removes various officials, certain judiciary members, and state offices on recommendation of the President.
Also considers and approves proposed appointment or removal of President and/or Vice-President of the Committee and the General Secretary of the National Assembly on recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee.
Considers and approves proposed appointments or removal of Government members based on recommendations by the Prime Minister.
Considers and approves proposed appointments or removal of judges of the People’s Supreme Court based on the recommendation of the President of the People’s Supreme Court.
The National Assembly also considers and approves the organisational structure of itself, such as establishment, merging, and separation of committees, and board of secretariat of the assembly. Does the same for the Government structure, including establishment, dissolution, merging, and division of ministries and other equivalent bodies, and also of provinces and municipalities based on recommendations of the Prime Minister.
Can consider to dissolve a People Assembly of the provinces if such has caused significant damage to the interest of the people and country.
Can consider and approve granting of amnesties based on recommendations of the National Assembly Standing Committee.
Considers and approves ratification or withdrawal from treaties, agreements, and international agreements based on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
Considers on the matters of war and peace based on the recommendation of the President.
Article 4 of the country’s constitution says people have the ability to propose removal of their elected representatives if they have behaved in a way unbefitting of their position and have lost the confidence of the people.
The Electoral System
Elections to the National Assembly take place every 5-years unless the term has been extended due to war or other circumstances obstructing the election, in such a case of extension an election must take place within 6-months after the emergency has ended.
Elections can take place earlier than 5-years if a two-thirds majority of its members vote to hold an early election.
Elections to the National Assembly elect the 164 members from multi-seat constituencies using simple majority votes from lists of candidates provided by the Lao’s People’s Revolutionary Party.
Presidential elections also take place every 5-years alongside the National Assembly. The President is nominated and elected by the members of the National Assembly with the winning candidate requiring at least two-thirds of the vote to win. One person cannot hold the presidency for more than two consecutive terms.
A Vice-President is elected in the same way.
To vote in elections one must be a citizen of Laos who is at least 18-years-old. Voting is not mandatory.
Sources
The source for this comes from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic’s Constitution of 1991 with amendments through to 2015 (constituteproject.org) which means it should be as up to date as possible but there is a chance I may have missed things or misinterpreted other things and of course the constitution can be amended and so this post may eventually become outdated, and so cross-research is recommended for those using this seriously.
Amendments to the Constitution are proposed by the National Assembly, with a two-thirds majority required to adopt it, and is then promulgated by the President.
Next up will be the government system of Latvia.
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