🇻🇳 Vietnam
One-party state, republic, unitary stateClosed autocracy
Tô Lâm
President · 878 days in office
How the political system works in Vietnam
Vietnam is governed as a one-party state with a republic, unitary state. Its president, Tô Lâm, has led the country since May 22, 2024. Vietnam has had 15 presidents since 1945. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as a closed autocracy.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
Ho Chi Minh
8,766 days
Shortest-serving
Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh
32 days
Average tenure
1,494 days
Tô Lâm: 41% below average
Female leaders
2 of 15
First: Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh (2018)
Recent presidents by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Vietnam?
Across 17 completed terms, the average president of Vietnam has served 1,494 days (about 4.1 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 353 days. The last leader to beat the average was Trương Tấn Sang, who left office in 2016.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All presidents of Vietnam
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 |  Tô Lâm | Apr 7, 2026 | Incumbent | 193 |
| 17 |  Lương Cường | Oct 21, 2024 | Apr 7, 2026 | 533 |
| 16 | Tô Lâm | May 22, 2024 | Oct 21, 2024 | 152 |
| 15 |  Võ Văn Thưởng | Mar 2, 2023 | Mar 21, 2024 | 385 |
| 14 |  Võ Thị Ánh Xuân | Jan 18, 2023 | Mar 2, 2023 | 43 |
| 13 |  Nguyễn Xuân Phúc | Apr 5, 2021 | Jan 18, 2023 | 653 |
| 12 |  Nguyễn Phú Trọng | Oct 23, 2018 | Apr 5, 2021 | 895 |
| 11 |  Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh | Sep 21, 2018 | Oct 23, 2018 | 32 |
| 10 |  Trần Đại Quang | Apr 2, 2016 | Sep 21, 2018 | 902 |
| 9 |  Trương Tấn Sang | Jul 25, 2011 | Jul 25, 2016 | 1,827 |
| 8 |  Nguyễn Minh Triết | Jun 27, 2006 | Jul 25, 2011 | 1,854 |
| 7 |  Trần Đức Lương | Sep 24, 1997 | Jun 27, 2006 | 3,198 |
| 6 |  Le Duc Anh | Sep 22, 1992 | Sep 24, 1997 | 1,828 |
| 5 |  Nguyen Huu Tho | Mar 30, 1980 | Jul 4, 1981 | 461 |
| 4 |  Tôn Đức Thắng | Jul 2, 1976 | Mar 30, 1980 | 1,367 |
| 3 | Tôn Đức Thắng | Sep 23, 1969 | Jul 2, 1976 | 2,474 |
| 2 | Tôn Đức Thắng | Sep 2, 1969 | Sep 23, 1969 | 21 |
| 1 |  Ho Chi Minh | Sep 2, 1945 | Sep 2, 1969 | 8,766 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the President of Vietnam?
- Tô Lâm has been President of Vietnam since May 22, 2024.
- How is the leader of Vietnam chosen?
- Vietnam is governed as a one-party state with a republic, unitary state. Its president, Tô Lâm, has led the country since May 22, 2024. Vietnam has had 15 presidents since 1945. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as a closed autocracy.
- Who is the longest-serving President of Vietnam?
- Ho Chi Minh, with 8,766 days in office.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Vietnam?
- Across 17 completed terms, the average president of Vietnam has served 1,494 days (about 4.1 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 353 days. The last leader to beat the average was Trương Tấn Sang, who left office in 2016.
- Has Vietnam ever had a female president?
- Yes. Vietnam has had 2 female presidents. The first was Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh, who took office in 2018.