The decision to shorten the duration of the 14th Party Congress from six and a half days to five is creating a fast-paced personnel agenda marked by surprises. As early as the third official working day, January 22, the 1,586 delegates could proceed to elect up to 200 members of the 14th-term Central Committee—earlier than originally expected. This also means key leadership options are being finalized more quickly and taking clearer shape.
It is expected that many members of the 13th-term Central Committee will be re-elected, among them the standout figure of Lê Minh Hưng, Head of the Party’s Central Organization Commission. With extensive experience ranging from macroeconomic management to cadre and personnel work, Mr. Hưng is seen as having a strong chance of continuing on to the Politburo. More importantly, he is emerging as a potential prime ministerial candidate if Phạm Minh Chính is not re-elected or retires during the next term.
Mr. Lê Minh Hưng’s advantages lie in his deep understanding of the system, a governing style that is cautious yet decisive, and a comparatively “safe” profile at a time when stability is being prioritized above all. Meanwhile, whether Mr. Phạm Minh Chính will continue to be nominated is also expected to be discussed today, making the personnel equation even harder to predict. Is the top job gradually tilting toward the Head of the Central Organization Commission?
