Vietnam’s Politburo signals key winners after party congress

Vietnam’s new Politburo has been revealed as the Communist Party Congress wrapped up early in Hanoi, with Mr To Lam

winning a full five-year term as party chief

, seemingly with minimal backroom wrangling.

The nation’s top positions are selected from the 19 members elected to the party’s most powerful decision-making body, which sets overall policy direction.

Mr Lam, 68, has been confirmed as General Secretary and also appears to have secured the presidency, while the make-up of the Politburo signals who is in line for the other top posts. 

While the roles still need parliamentary approval, here are the likely top figures under Mr Lam:

Le Minh Hung, 55, Prime Minister

A former State Bank of Vietnam Governor, Mr Hung will be nominated for prime minister to replace Mr Pham Minh Chinh, who was not included on the Central Committee list released on Jan 22. He’s currently the head of the Party Central Organization Commission, which essentially controls the hiring and firing of senior officials.

The son of a former public security minister who was Mr To Lam’s mentor, he worked for over two decades at the central bank. Mr Hung, who has a master’s degree in economics from a Japanese university, has also served on a powerful anti-corruption steering committee since 2021. 

Tran Thanh Man, 63, National Assembly Chair

Dr Man is from the economically powerful south, where he was previously party chief of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. He was head of the Vietnam Fatherland Front – a party-led organisation – before becoming vice chairman of the National Assembly in April 2021.

Dr Man, who has a PhD in economics, took over from Mr Vuong Dinh Hue, who resigned as Parliament chairman in 2024 over violations of Party regulations.

The National Assembly chair presides over the parliament, shapes legislation and is a core political figure who’s considered part of the nation’s top leadership group.

Tran Cam Tu, 64, Standing Member of the Secretariat

Dr Tu has been Standing Member of the Secretariat since 2024, a role that oversees the Party’s daily operations. The post was given greater prominence last September when it was elevated to a so-called “fifth pillar,” formalising its place in the leadership hierarchy. This also eased the way for the likely merging of the party chief and presidency roles by providing an extra layer of internal checks on party processes.

Dr Tu, who holds a doctorate degree in agriculture, was the director of Huong Son Forestry and Services Co and then party chief of the former Thai Binh province. 

Phan Van Giang, 65, Defence Minister

Defence Minister Giang had been seen as a potential rival presidential candidate, but with Mr Lam securing both roles, he’s likely to keep his current job and may also be elevated to a deputy prime minister. Mr Giang, who’s from Ninh Binh province, has served in the military since 1978.

He fought on the Cao Bang front against the Chinese army in the 1979 border war. He rose through the defence ranks before attaining the top job in April 2021, the same year he was also awarded the rank of general. Mr Giang is a popular figure who has a loyal and active social media base. 

Tran Sy Thanh, 54, Central Inspection Commission Chairman

Mr Thanh is seen as a rising star who became head of the powerful Central Inspection Commission last November, the party’s top internal watchdog overseeing disciplinary action. Mr To Lam highlighted the ongoing fight against corruption in his Jan 21 address to the Congress, underscoring the prominence of this role.

From Nghe An province, he was previously chair of Hanoi People’s Committee and has had multiple high-level jobs including at the finance ministry and as chairman of the Vietnam National Industry - Energy Group, known as Petrovietnam. Bloomberg