Key Events 

• Party Central Committee Delays Leadership Decisions;
• Hà Nội’s New Party Chief Signals the Consolidation of Tô Lâm’s Inner Circle;
• Revised Cybersecurity Law Adds Controls, Costs for Firms;
• German Court Limits Vingroup Lawsuit, Rules Most Criticism Protected Speech.

Việt Nam’s Communist Party Fails to Finalize Top Leadership Lineup at 14th Central Committee Meeting

The most significant political event in Việt Nam last week — the 14th Plenum of the Communist Party’s Central Committee — ended without a final decision on the country’s next top leadership slate, despite earlier expectations that this would be the last meeting before the upcoming Party Congress.

In his closing address, General Secretary Tô Lâm announced that the Central Committee had agreed on the number and list of nominees for the 14th-term Politburo, the Secretariat, and other senior leadership positions. The committee also discussed preparations for the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, scheduled for January 19–25, 2026.