Prime Minister of Laos

Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic

Incumbent
Thongloun Sisoulith
since 20 April 2016
Nominator Bounnhang Vorachit
Appointer National Assembly
Term length Five years
Inaugural holder Prince Phetsarath Ratanavongsa
Formation 15 September 1945
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The Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is the head of government of Laos. It is the highest office within the Central Government.

Powers

Throughout its history the office of Prime Minister has been responsible, at least in theory but not always in practice, for handling Laos's internal policies. Since Laos is a one-party state with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party being the sole party allowed by the constitution, all the prime ministers of the People's Democratic Republic have been members of the party while holding office.

The current prime minister is Thongloun Sisoulith, since 20 April 2016. He is second-ranked in the Political Bureau (Politburo).

The Prime Minister is elected by the proposal of the President of Laos to the National Assembly and is responsible to the National Assembly, which elects all ministers to government. Activity reports by the Prime Minister must be given to the National Assembly, while the Standing Committee of the National Assembly supervises the activities of the Central Government and the Prime Minister. Finally, the deputies of the National Assembly have the right to question the Prime Minister and other members of government.

Office

The Office of the Prime Minister of the People's Democratic Republic traces its lineage back to Kaysone Phomvihane, the first Prime Minister of the People's Democratic Republic. The predecessor office to the Prime Minister of the People's Democratic Republic was the Prime Minister of the former Kingdom of Laos. There have been 7 prime ministers of the People's Democratic Republic, but there have been 17 prime ministers of Laos if the prime ministers of the Kingdom of Laos are counted.

List of Prime Ministers of Laos (1945–present)

Colour key
(for political parties)

Kingdom of Laos (1945–1975)

№ Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of Office Political Party
Took Office Left Office Time in Office
1 Phetsarath Ratanavongsa
(1890–1959)		 15 September 1945 20 October 1945 35 days Independent
— Phaya Khammao
(1911–1984)
Chairman of the Provisional Government		 20 October 1945 23 April 1946 185 days Lao Issara
2 Kindavong
(1900–1951)		 23 April 1946 15 March 1947 326 days Independent
3 Souvannarath
(1893–1960)		 15 March 1947 25 April 1948 1 year, 41 days Independent
4 Boun Oum
(1912–1980)		 25 March 1948 24 February 1950 1 year, 305 days Independent
5 Phoui Sananikone
(1903–1983)		 24 February 1950 15 October 1951 1 year, 233 days Neutralist
6 Savang Vatthana
(1907–1978?)		 15 October 1951 21 November 1951 37 days Independent
7 Souvanna Phouma
(1901–1984)		 21 November 1951 25 October 1954 2 years, 338 days National Progressive Party
8 Katay Don Sasorith
(1904–1959)		 25 October 1954 21 March 1956 1 year, 148 days National Progressive Party
(7) Souvanna Phouma
(1901–1984)		 21 March 1956 17 August 1958 2 years, 149 days National Progressive Party
(5) Phoui Sananikone
(1903–1983)		 17 August 1958 31 December 1959 1 year, 136 days Neutralist
— Sounthone Pathammavong
(1911–1989)
Army Chief of Staff		 31 December 1959 7 January 1960 7 days Committee for the Defence of National Interests / Military
9 Kou Abhay
(1892–1964)		 7 January 1960 3 June 1960 148 days Independent
10 Somsanith Vongkotrattana
(1913–1975)		 3 June 1960 15 August 1960 73 days Committee for the Defence of National Interests
(7) Souvanna Phouma
(1901–1984)		 30 August 1960[1] 13 December 1960 105 days Lao Neutralist Front
Quinim Pholsena
(1915–1963)
(not recognized)		 11 December 1960 13 December 1960 2 days Peace and Neutrality Party
(4) Boun Oum
(1912–1980)		 13 December 1960 23 June 1962 1 year, 192 days Independent
(7) Souvanna Phouma
(1901–1984)		 23 June 1962 2 December 1975 13 years, 162 days Lao Neutralist Front

Trivia

Between December 1959 to December 1960, Laos had six different Prime Ministers, who were ousted by six successive political coups.[2]

Lao People's Democratic Republic (1975–present)

№ Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of Office Political Party
Took Office Left Office Time in Office
11 Kaysone Phomvihane
(1920–1992)		 8 December 1975 15 August 1991 15 years, 250 days Lao People's Revolutionary Party
12 Khamtai Siphandon
(1924–)		 15 August 1991 24 February 1998 6 years, 193 days Lao People's Revolutionary Party
13 Sisavath Keobounphanh
(1928–)		 24 February 1998 27 March 2001 3 years, 31 days Lao People's Revolutionary Party
14 Bounnhang Vorachith
(1937–)		 27 March 2001 8 June 2006 5 years, 73 days Lao People's Revolutionary Party
15 Bouasone Bouphavanh
(1954–)		 8 June 2006 23 December 2010 4 years, 198 days Lao People's Revolutionary Party
16 Thongsing Thammavong
(1944–)		 23 December 2010 20 April 2016 5 years, 119 days Lao People's Revolutionary Party
17 Thongloun Sisoulith
(1945–)		 20 April 2016 Incumbent 17 days Lao People's Revolutionary Party

Living former prime ministers

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prime Ministers of Laos.

See also

References

  1. ↑ From 9 December 1960, in exile in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
  2. ↑ http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/four-climate-change-positions-in-one-day-20110309-1bnu3.html
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