The National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP; ) is the party's highest decision-making body. The LPRP has convened 11 congresses since its foundation in 1955, and eight since taking power in 1975. According to the party rules, the party congress is to be convened by the LPRP Central Committee (CC) every fifth year. It functions as a forum that approves party policy (such as the five-year plans), is empowered to amend the party's charter and program, and elects the Central Committee. The party leadership, through the Political Report of the Central Committee, briefs the party on its work in the period since its last congress, and sets out future goals for the period in between the next congress.
The congress was always convened in March from the 5th Congress in 1991 to the 9th Congress in 2011. According to Martin Sturt-Fox, this suggests an ideological cohesion within the party and its leadership. The 4th Congress introduced the "New Economic Mechanism" (NEM, market reforms). Partly for introducing NEM, the 4th Congress is the last congress to be postponed due to political infighting. Due to the party's secret nature, it's hard to discern the work and the political intrigues which takes place before the congress. In the run-up to party congresses, outside observers try to discern factional intrigues, usually between two supposedly "pro-Chinese" and "pro-Vietnamese" or "pro-reform" and "anti-reform" camps. Despite this, there seems to be broad agreement within the party on the path its pursuing: that is, creating a socialist market economic model and attracting foreign direct investment.
Keys AbbreviationsCCCentral Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary PartyFMFull member (a member with voting rights).AMAlternate member (a member without voting rights).Political ReportPolitical Report to the Central Committee, a document which briefs delegates about the period since the last Congress and future work.PMRParty members represented at the congress by delegates (the party membership at the time).
Convocations Congress Duration(start—end) Delegates CCelected Political Report(presented by) PMR 1st National Congress17 dayNone 22 March–14 April 1955 25 5 None ~400 2nd National Congress4 days1972 election3 February–6 February 1972 125 21 FM–6 AM Kaysone Phomvihane 21,000 3rd National Congress4 days1981–1982 election27 April–30 April 1982 228 49 FM–6 AM Kaysone Phomvihane 35,000 4th National Congress3 days1985–1986 election 13 November–15 November 1986 300 51 FM–9 AM Kaysone Phomvihane 40,000 5th National Congress3 days1990–1991 election27 March–29 March 1991 367 55 FM–44 AM Kaysone Phomvihane 60,000 6th National Congress3 days1995–1996 election18 March–20 March 1996 381 49 Khamtai Siphandon 78,000 7th National Congress3 days2000–2001 election12 March–14 March 2001 452 53 Khamtai Siphandon 100,000 8th National Congress4 days2005–2006 election18 March–21 March 2006 498 55 Khamtai Siphandon 148,590 9th National Congress5 days2010–2011 election 17 March–21 March 2011 576 61 Choummaly Sayasone 191,700 10th National Congress5 days2015–2016 election 18 January–22 January 2016 685 69–8 AM Choummaly Sayasone 252,879 11th National Congress3 days2020–2021 election 13 January–15 January 2021 768 71–10 AM Bounnhang Vorachit 348,686 12th National Congress3 days2025–2026 election 6 January–8 January 2026 768 73–15 AM Thongloun Sisoulith 421,865
See also Socialist market economy Socialist-oriented market economy
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References Information on congresses, number of delegates, number of people elected to CCs, party membership, the individual who presented the Political Report and information on when the congress was convened can be found in these sources:
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