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====Constitutional system (1991–)==== |
====Constitutional system (1991–)==== |
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The new constitution changed the name of the office of Chairman of the Council of Government back to Prime Minister.{{sfn|John|2006|p=117}} It reaffirmed the LPRP's role in society by defining it as the "leading nucleus" of the state.{{sfn|Johnson|1992|p=84}} The [[Executive (branch)|executive branch of government]] was strengthened, but powers were distributed away from the head of government to the [[head of state]], the [[President of Laos|President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic]].{{sfn|Johnson|1992|p=82}} Kaysone Phomvihane, the Prime Minister since 1975, left office on 15 August 1991 and took over the presidency while [[Khamtai Siphandon]] stepped in as Prime Minister.{{sfn|Johnson|1992|p=82}} Under the new framework, the Prime Minister and government ministers were nominated by the President and elected by the National Assembly, the country's new legislature.{{sfn|Johnson|1992|p=84}} Formerly the head of government appointed the provincial governors, but those powers were delegated to the presidency.{{sfn|Johnson|1992|p=82}} According to scholar Stephen T. Johnson the new presidency could be likened to the office of [[President of France]] during the [[French Fifth Republic|Fifth Republic]].{{sfn|Johnson|1992|p=84}} |
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==Powers== |
==Powers== |
Revision as of 11:29, 22 January 2021
Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic | |
---|---|
ນາຍົກລັດຖະມົນຕີ ແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ Président du Conseil des ministres du Laos | |
Nominator | President |
Appointer | National Assembly |
Term length | Five years |
Inaugural holder | Kaysone Phomvihane |
Formation | 2 December 1975 |
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. The Prime Minister directs both the executive, and together with their government is accountable to the President, to the National Assembly and to the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the only legalized party in the country.
The Office of Prime Minister was first established by a decision of the National Congress of People's Representatives on 2 December 1975, and a written law codified its powers. The state constitution, which went into force in 1991, regulates the Office of Prime Minister and its relationship with other state bodies.
History
Background
Modern incarnation (1975–present)
In the absence of a constitution (1975–91)
The Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), as well as the Office of Prime Minister, was established on 2 December 1975 by a decision of the National Congress of People's Representatives (NCPR).[1] All institutions of the Kingdom of Laos were abolished and replaced by state structures strongly influenced by the ones existing in other socialist states, especially those of Vietnam.[1] The last decision of the NCPR equivocally stated that the SPA was to ensure "propel, assist and control all the activities of the government, to prepare a draft Constitution as well as propose laws which are indispensable and to strengthen the base of the new code of the law of the People's Democratic regime."[2] In this new system of government the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) was granted a monopoly of state power.[3] The function of the Prime Minister, the government and the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the new legislature, were to implement the decisions of the party.[4] LPRP General Secretary Kaysone Phomvihane stated as much in 1977; "Party committees at all levels must lead [in fulfilling] the revolutionary task in all domains, but the essential is to direct the power of the state. They must make [the state] secure and powerful, capable of applying the line and policies of the Party.[5] According to scholar Chou Norindr the end result of the new system was that the government and the SPA were "confined to the subordinate role of management, while the Party leads, even though the people are assigned the role of 'collective mastery'. In other words, as opposed to political parties in the traditional state, which only fill the role of political forces or intermediary bodies vis-a-vis the sovereign state, in the LPDR the LPRP is itself in practice sovereign, having deprived the government and the SP A of their essential prerogatives in the functioning of the state.[6]
The government structure established on 2 December 1975 was named Council of Government, like its counterpart in Vietnam.[7] The institution has since its establishment been marked by hierarchy.[7] Kaysone Phomvihane, as the first Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, concurrently served as LPRP General Secretary.[7] His four deputy prime ministers Nouhak Phoumsavanh, Phoumi Vongvichit, Khamtai Siphandon and Phoune Sipraseuth served concurrently in the LPRP Politburo, the highest decision-making organ between sessions of the Central Committee.[8] The Prime Minister and his deputies, together with Saly Vongkhamsao, Sisavath Keobounphanh, Chanmy Douangboudy, Maychantane Sengmany and Thongsavat Khaykhamphitoune, formed the Presidency of the Council of Government.[9] The members of the Presidency controlled all legislative, executive and judicial powers in the state.[9] The deputy prime ministers of the First Government of the Lao PDR had wideranging tasks each held their own ministry, and were responsible for overseeing other ministries on behalf of the Prime Minister.[8] However, officially the government reported its work to, and was responsible to, the SPA.[10] The membership of the legislature, however, was dominated by LPRP members and the legislature therefore, seldom, held the government to account.[11] The government was responsible for the political, economic, cultural and social affairs of the state as well as its security, defense and foreign relations.[12] Further the government was responsible for increasing the economic efficiency of the state sector, develop the people's collective mastery and establish socialist relations of production.[12] In sum, the Council of Government was the supreme power on administration and economic affairs in the Lao PDR.[12]
The Law on the Council of Government was passed by the SPA in November 1982.[2] It stated that the Council of Government "full power to settle all matters of state management which do not fall under the duties and rights of the Supreme People's Assembly and of the SPA Standing Committee."[13] The law changed the name of the office of Prime Minister to Chairman of the Council of Government, and the offices of deputy prime ministers were changed to Deputy Chairman of the Council of Government.[13] The intention of the 1982 law was to strengthen the collegial streak of the body by emphasizing collective leadership, a communist leadership principle that seeks to hinder arbitrary decision-making.[13] Every minister and minister-level official had the right to attend the meetings of the Council of Government.[13] The law further emphasizes that "representatives of trade unions, youth and women may be invited" to the meetings of the Council of Government "for consultation on problems involving the masses of all strata to which each organization is responsible."[13]
The Council of Government organizes quarterly meetings of all ministerial-level officials.[13] In between sessions of the Council of Government, the Standing Committee of the Council of Government convened weekly.[13] It was composed of the Chairman, the First Deputy Chairman, deputy chairmen, ministers and Head of the Office of Council of Government but not heads of state committees.[13] The First Deputy Chairman acted in the place of the Chairman in his absence.[13] The deputy chairmen, like earlier, exercised supervisory and coordinating functions over the activities of the various ministries and state committees of government.[13] The decrees, decisions and "major issues" decided upon by the Council of Government (or its Standing Committee) had to be signed by the Chairman to enter into force, while resolutions, decisions, and instructions issued on less important matters could be signed either the chairman or the first vice-chairman to enter into force.[14] In addition, an entire section of the law was devoted to the Office of the Council of Government.[15] This office was responsible for preparing the work of the council, organizing its meetings, and of implementing the decisions of the council.[15] The Head of the Office of the Council of Government was to report directly to the Chairman and the First Deputy Chairman, and to conduct work on behalf of the council with the SPA and other organizations.[15]
The absence of a constitution made itself felt on the country's institutions.[16] Souphanouvong, the Chairman of the SPA Standing Committee, was elected Chairman of the SPA Constitutional Drafting Commission.[16] However, between 1975–84 none of its work were made public.[16] In 1984 the SPA announced the creation of two Sub-committees of the Constitutional Drafting Commission.[16] The lack of an institutionalized structure led the party to bypass the state structures when making decisions.[16] For instance, the LPRP Secretariat reshuffled the First Government in January 1982 despite it being the SPA's responsibility.[17] Its also difficult to explain why the process took such a long time; it took Vietnam four years after reunification to pass another constitution and it less then two years for the People's Republic of Kampuchea.[18] However by the mid-1980s Laos began being influenced by the reform movement taking place in Vietnam and in the socialist world more generally, and called for new elections to the SPA in 1988.[18] At the 1st Plenary Session of the newly-elected SPA stated that it would pass a constitution in the not so distant future.[19] On 14 August 1991, the SPA adopted the first constitution of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.[18]
Constitutional system (1991–)
The new constitution changed the name of the office of Chairman of the Council of Government back to Prime Minister.[20] It reaffirmed the LPRP's role in society by defining it as the "leading nucleus" of the state.[21] The executive branch of government was strengthened, but powers were distributed away from the head of government to the head of state, the President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.[22] Kaysone Phomvihane, the Prime Minister since 1975, left office on 15 August 1991 and took over the presidency while Khamtai Siphandon stepped in as Prime Minister.[22] Under the new framework, the Prime Minister and government ministers were nominated by the President and elected by the National Assembly, the country's new legislature.[21] Formerly the head of government appointed the provincial governors, but those powers were delegated to the presidency.[22] According to scholar Stephen T. Johnson the new presidency could be likened to the office of President of France during the Fifth Republic.[21]
Powers
Laos portal |
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.
Officeholder
No. | Prime Minister | Term start | Term end | Duration | Head of state | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kaysone Phomvihane ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ (1920–1992) |
8 December 1975 | 15 August 1991 | 15 years, 250 days | Souphanouvong | |
Phoumi Vongvichit | ||||||
2 | File:Khamtai Siphandon.jpg | Khamtai Siphandon ຄຳໄຕ ສີພັນດອນ (born 1924) |
15 August 1991 | 16 February 1998 | 6 years, 193 days | Kaysone Phomvihane |
Nouhak Phoumsavanh | ||||||
3 | File:สีสะหวาด แก้วบุนพัน.jpg | Sisavath Keobounphanh ສີສະຫວາດ ແກ້ວບຸນພັນ (1928–2020) |
16 February 1998 | 27 March 2001 | 3 years, 31 days | Khamtai Siphandon |
4 | Bounnhang Vorachith ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ (born 1937) |
27 March 2001 | 8 June 2006 | 5 years, 73 days | ||
5 | Bouasone Bouphavanh ບົວສອນ ບຸບຜາວັນ (born 1954) |
8 June 2006 | 23 December 2010 | 4 years, 198 days | Choummaly Sayasone | |
6 | Thongsing Thammavong ທອງສິງ ທຳມະວົງ (born 1944) |
23 December 2010 | 20 April 2016 | 5 years, 119 days | ||
7 | Thongloun Sisoulith ທອງລຸນ ສີສຸລິດ (born 1946) |
20 April 2016 | Incumbent | 8 years, 26 days | Bounnhang Vorachit |
Living former prime ministers
-
Khamtai Siphandon served 1991–1998 born 1924 (age 100)
Khamtai Siphandon
served 1991–1998
born 1924 (age 100) -
Bounnhang Vorachith
served 2001–2006
born 1937 (age 86) -
Bouasone Bouphavanh
served 2006–2010
born 1954 (age 69) -
Thongsing Thammavong
served 2010–2016
born 1944 (age 80)
See also
References
Specific
- ^ a b Norindr 1982, p. 39.
- ^ a b Brown & Zasloff 1986, p. 162.
- ^ Norindr 1982, p. 46.
- ^ Norindr 1982, p. 47.
- ^ Norindr 1982, pp. 47–8.
- ^ Norindr 1982, p. 48.
- ^ a b c Norindr 1982, p. 52.
- ^ a b Norindr 1982, p. 53.
- ^ a b Norindr 1982, pp. 52–3.
- ^ Norindr 1982, p. 55.
- ^ Norindr 1982, pp. 55–6.
- ^ a b c Norindr 1982, p. 54.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Brown & Zasloff 1986, p. 168.
- ^ Brown & Zasloff 1986, p. 168–9.
- ^ a b c Brown & Zasloff 1986, p. 169.
- ^ a b c d e Stuart-Fox 1986, p. 70.
- ^ Stuart-Fox 1986, p. 81.
- ^ a b c John 2006, p. 90.
- ^ John 2006, p. 89.
- ^ John 2006, p. 117.
- ^ a b c Johnson 1992, p. 84.
- ^ a b c Johnson 1992, p. 82.
Bibliography
Books:
- Brown, MacAlister; Zasloff, Joseph J. (1986). Apprentice Revolutionaries: The Communist Movement in Laos, 1930–1985. Hoover Institution Press. ISBN 0-8179-8122-5.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Norindr, Chou (1982). "Political Institutions of the Lao People's Democratic Republic". In Stuart-Fox, Martin (ed.). Contemporary Laos: Studies in the Politics and Society of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0-7022-1840-5.