PDR Laos - 1994-2012 Politics
Politics in Laos is primarily a struggle for power between shifting coalitions of the national elite. Politics in Laos remained the preserve of only a handful of persons holding key positions in the Council of Ministers and, to a lesser extent, of those elected deputies in the National Assembly. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is ruled by its only constitutionally legitimate party, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP). The National Assembly elections held every five years are not free and fair. The LPRP selected all candidates, and voting is mandatory for all citizens.
Citizens do not have the right to change their government. The Constitution provides for a representative National Assembly, elected every 5 years in open, multiple-candidate, fairly tabulated elections, with voting by secret ballot and universal adult suffrage; however, it legitimizes only a single party, the LPRP. Election committees, appointed by the National Assembly, must approve all candidates for local and national elections. Candidates need not be LPRP members, but in practice almost all were.
The National Assembly appointed election committees, which must approve all candidates for local and national elections. Candidates do not need to be LPRP members, but almost all were, and the party vetted all candidates. The National Assembly chooses or removes the country’s president, vice president, and other members of the government. The National Election Committee manages elections, including approval of candidates. The activities of the National Election Committee were not transparent.
The law denies citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections based on universal and equal suffrage, and it did not provide for the free expression of the will of the people. Although the constitution outlines a system comprising executive, legislative, and judicial branches, the LPRP controlled governance and leadership at all levels through its constitutionally designated leading role.
In the 1997 general elections, 159 candidates vied for the enlarged National Assembly’s 99 seats (raised from 85). All but four were members of the ruling, communist Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) - the dominant group in the umbrella Lao Front for National Reconstruction. A further six non-party candidatures were rejected. Only some one-third of those finally running were incumbents. During a quiet campaign, the authorities acknowledged that the crucial task of the fourth National Assembly (i.e., since the LPRP took power in 1975) would be to push for more political reform, especially now that Laos was a full member of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). On polling day, the LPRP maintained its dominance of Parliament. In February 1998, a new President of the Republic to replace Mr. Nouhak Phoumsavanh was to be chosen by the National Assembly. At the same time, a new Prime Minister would also be selected; this post is currently held by Gen. Khamtay Siphandone, who is expected to take over the presidency.
On 25 December 2001, it was announced that the next National Assembly election would be held on 24 February 2002, one year earlier than expected. In all, 166 candidates (including 34 women) vied for the enlarged National Assembly's 109 seats (raised from 99). All but one were members of the ruling communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), in power since it overthrew the monarchy 26 years before. Thus, there were even fewer opposition candidates than in 1997, when four such candidates vied for seats. More women were included on the ballot as well as more candidates with post-graduate degrees. The average age was 51, some 10 years younger than in the previous election.
No foreign election observers were invited or allowed, as the National Election Committee spokesman declared that there was no need for observers because "elections in Laos are free and fair". Over 99 per cent of the 2.54 million eligible voters were reported to have taken part in the elections.
The election brought 62 new faces into the new Assembly, including 25 women. Most of the lawmakers were already district chiefs or deputy provincial governors. The new National Assembly convened on 9 April 2002 and re-elected Mr Samane Vinyaketh as its Chairman (Speaker). The National Assembly, upon the President's recommendation, elects the Prime Minister and other Ministers in the Government. The 109-member National Assembly, elected in February under a system of universal suffrage, approved the LPRP's selection of the President at its inaugural session in April, and in the same session it ratified the President's selection of a new Prime Minister and cabinet. In the inaugural sitting, the newly elected deputies voted to keep President Khamtay Siphandone and the Prime Minister in place and also approved the President's proposed list of Cabinet members for a tenure lasting until 2006. The National Assembly may consider and amend draft legislation, but only permanent subcommittees of the Assembly may propose new laws. The Constitution gives the right to submit draft legislation to the National Assembly standing committee and the ruling executive structure.
Parliamentary elections were held on 30 April 2006 almost a full year ahead of the scheduled expiry of the members' term. The elections followed the Congress of the ruling communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) in February/March 2006. During the Congress the President of the Republic Mr. Khamtai Siphandone announced his resignation as LPRP leader in favour of his deputy Mr. Choummaly Sayasone who was subsequently elected as the party's leader on 21 March 2006. In the last elections held in February 2002 independent candidates were allowed to run for the first time. However the ruling LPRP which has held power since 1975 won all but one of the 109 seats in the National Assembly.
In the 2006 elections 175 candidates including 40 women contested 115 seats in an enlarged National Assembly. All but two candidates were members of the LPRP. Approximately 2.8 million people were registered to vote. Despite heavy rain in the capital city Vientiane turnout remained high. The LPRP swept 113 of the 115 seats at stake. The number of women elected increased from 25 to 29.
The newly-elected National Assembly held its first session on 8 June 2006 and elected Mr. Thongsing Thammavong as its new Speaker. It also appointed the LPRP leader Mr. Choummaly Sayasone as the new President of the Republic and former deputy prime minister Mr. Bouasone Bouphavanh as the new Prime Minister replacing Mr. Boungnang Vorachit.
At stake in the April 2011 elections were 132 seats in the National Assembly, up from 115. In the previous elections held in April 2006, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) - the only political party since the Lao People's Democratic Republic was established in 1975 - took 113 of the 115 seats at stake, with the remaining two going to independents. In June, the National Assembly elected LPRP leader Choummaly Sayasone as the new President of the Republic and former deputy prime minister Mr. Bouasone Bouphavanh as the new Prime Minister, replacing Mr. Boungnang Vorachit. In December 2010, Mr. Bouasone resigned and was replaced by Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Thonsing Thammavong. The then Deputy Speaker, Ms. Pany Yathotou, succeeded the latter, becoming the first female Speaker in Laos since 1975.
In recent years, the government has been gradually liberalizing the economy in an attempt to help the country graduate from the category of least developed countries (LDCs) by 2020. In January 2011, Laos opened a stock market, Lao Securities Exchange (LSX), in the capital, Vientiane. The LSX is initially offering shares in two State-owned companies.
On 20 March 2011, the national congress of the LPRP re-elected Mr. Choummaly, 75, as its leader for a second five-year term. The congress also adopted a series of policies to be implemented by 2015, which aim at political stability and sound economic development. The LPRP Government wants to reduce the number of poverty-stricken households to below 10 per cent of the population and promote enhanced regional and international integration.
In all, 190 candidates were nominated for the 2011 elections: 47 central government staff and 143 local officials. Four of the candidates work for State-owned enterprises, while five are entrepreneurs of private enterprises. 45 were members of the outgoing legislature. Most candidates were members of the LPRP while five independent candidates were also vying for seats. President Choummaly said that to better develop the nation, citizens need "good and suitable representatives" who are willing to discuss their problems.
According to the official figure, 99.6 per cent of the 3.2 million registered voters turned out at the polls. The final results gave 128 seats to the LPRP while the four remaining seats went to independents. About 50 of the newly elected members are representatives of minorities. In all, 33 women were elected.
On 15 June, the newly-elected National Assembly held its first session and re-elected Ms. Pany Yathotou (LPRP) as its Speaker. It also re-elected Mr. Choummaly as the President of the Republic and Mr. Thonsing as Prime Minister.
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