Lao People’s Democratic Republic
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic operates as a unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party socialist republic, one of the world’s few remaining communist states. The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) maintains absolute political control through its general secretary, who concurrently serves as president—currently Thongloun Sisoulith, the first civilian without military background to hold this position since his appointment in 2021. The government structure consists of a National Assembly legislature, with Vice Presidents Bounthong Chitmany and Pany Yathotou, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, and National Assembly President Saysomphone Phomvihane completing the senior leadership. Since overthrowing the monarchy in 1975 after years of civil conflict during the Vietnam War era, the LPRP has gradually opened the economy while maintaining strict political control. Despite significant economic reforms and infrastructure development, particularly through Chinese investment in projects like the Laos-China Railway, the country remains classified as a least developed country by the UN, though it maintains membership in regional organizations including ASEAN and participates in the Greater Mekong Subregion economic cooperation program.