The election of Tô Lâm as both general secretary and president at the very start of a term marks an unprecedented event in Việt Nam.

Previously, these two positions were merged only temporarily due to unexpected circumstances, lasting for just several months or a few years under Hồ Chí Minh (1956–1960), Trường Chinh (1986), Nguyễn Phú Trọng (2018–2021), and Tô Lâm (2024).

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Tô Lâm and the Unprecedented Merger of Việt Nam’s Top Leadership Roles: the Last Among Socialist Countries

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