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Laos - Government and Political Conditions (Notes)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS The only legal political party is the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). The head of state is President Choummaly Sayasone. The head of government is Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh. Government policies are determined by the party through the all-powerful eleven-member Politburo and the 55-member Central Committee. Important government decisions are vetted by the Politburo. Laos adopted its Constitution in 1991. The following year, elections were held for a new 85-seat National Assembly with members elected by secret ballot to 5-year terms. The National Assembly, which has added seats at every election, approves all new laws, although the executive branch retains the authority to issue binding decrees. The most recent elections took place in June 2006, when the National Assembly was expanded to 115 members. Laos has an expanding legal system but is governed largely through the issuance of decrees. Of note, in July 2002, the government promulgated Prime Ministerial Decree 92 governing religious practice. Since the end of the Indochina conflict, a low-level insurgency against the regime has continued. The incidents have included a series of bombings in the capital during the summer of 2000 and renewed spikes of violence in 2003 and 2004 against various types of land transportation and public markets. There were reports of continued fighting in 2005 and 2007. The United States does not endorse or support violent activities carried out against the Lao Government. Principal Government Officials President--Choummaly Sayasone Prime Minister--Bouasone Bouphavanh Ambassador to the U.S.--Phiane Philakone Permanent Representative to the UN--Kanika Phommachanh Laos maintains an embassy in the United States at 2222 S Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20009 (tel: 202-332-6416).