Laos · Government
Government and administration in Laos
How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.
The three branches
- Party — Lao People's Revolutionary Party
- Leading role stated in Article 3 of the Constitution.
- Head of state — President
- Elected by the National Assembly; promulgates laws.
- Executive — Government led by the Prime Minister
- Issues decrees implementing legislation.
- Legislative — National Assembly
- Unicameral; its Standing Committee interprets the Constitution and laws.
- Prosecution — Office of the Supreme People's Prosecutor
- Prosecutes and supervises legality across state bodies.
How legislation is made
Draft laws are prepared by ministries, reviewed by the Ministry of Justice and the Assembly's committees, and passed by the National Assembly, which meets in ordinary session twice a year. The President promulgates by decree. Because sessions are short and infrequent, a great deal of binding detail is issued as government decrees and ministerial instructions between sittings.
Enforcement institutions
- Ministry of Public Security
- Police, immigration and household registration.
- Office of the Supreme People's Prosecutor
- Charging decisions and supervision of legality.
- State Inspection Authority
- Anti-corruption inspection and asset declarations.
- Ministry of Justice
- Legislative drafting, notaries, village mediation units.
- Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
- Land titling, concessions and land use planning.
Government bodies and regulators
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