President of Laos

President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
Coat of Arms of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
Incumbent Bounnhang Vorachith since 20 April 2016
Appointer	National Assembly
Term length	Five years
Inaugural holder	Prince Souphanouvong
Formation	2 December 1975

The President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is the head of state of Laos.

Powers

The president represents Laos internally and externally, supervises the work as well as preserving the stability of the national governmental system and safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of the country. The President appoints the prime minister, vice president, ministers and other officials with the consent of the National Assembly.

The head of state is the commander-in-chief of the Lao People's Army. Since Laos is a one-party state, with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party being the sole party allowed by the constitution, all the presidents of the People's Democratic Republic have been members of the party while holding office.

The current president is Bounnhang Vorachit, since 20 April 2016. He is also the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, and he is ranked first in the Politburo hierarchy.

Office

The office of the President of the People's Democratic Republic traces its lineage back to Prince Souphanouvong, the first President of the People's Democratic Republic, a member of the deposed royal family, who became President when the former Kingdom of Laos was overthrow by the Pathet Lao in 1975, at the end of the Laotian Civil War.

List of Presidents of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (1975–present)

Colour key (for political parties)
Lao People's Revolutionary Party   Non-party

№		Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of Office			Political Party
				Took Office	Left Office	Time in Office
	1		Souphanouvong (1909–1995)	2 December 1975	15 August 1991		Lao People's Revolutionary Party
	—	60px	Phoumi Vongvichit (1909–1994) Acting President (for Souphanouvong)	31 October 1986	15 August 1991		Lao People's Revolutionary Party
	2		Kaysone Phomvihane (1920–1992)	15 August 1991	21 November 1992		Lao People's Revolutionary Party
	3		Nouhak Phoumsavanh (1910–2008)	25 November 1992	24 February 1998		Lao People's Revolutionary Party
	4		Khamtai Siphandon (1924–)	24 February 1998	8 June 2006		Lao People's Revolutionary Party
	5		Choummaly Sayasone (1936–)	8 June 2006	20 April 2016		Lao People's Revolutionary Party
	6		Bounnhang Vorachith (1938–)	20 April 2016	Incumbent		Lao People's Revolutionary Party

Living former presidents

• 

  Khamtai Siphandon
  served 1998–2006
  born 1924 (age 100)
• 

  Choummaly Sayasone
  served 2006–2016
  born 1936 (age 88)

See also

• List of monarchs of Laos
• Prime Minister of Laos