Xaysomphone Phomvihane, President of Laos’ Nationwide Meeting and one of many nation’s most senior political figures, has died aged 69, officers introduced on 8 August.
Lao authorities stated Xaysomphone’s physique was taken to Nationwide Meeting Corridor No. 6, the place official funeral preparations are underway. In line with state media, Laos will mourn his demise from 9 to 13 August, and the ultimate funeral ceremony can be held on 13 August
Born on 14 December 1956 in Houaphanh, Xaysomphone spent greater than three many years transferring via a few of Laos’ most necessary political and authorities positions.
Politics was acquainted territory for him from an early age.
His father, Kaysone Phomvihane, was one of many founding figures of the Lao Folks’s Revolutionary Social gathering and served as its basic secretary for greater than 20 years. His mom was Thongvin Phomvihane, whereas a number of of his brothers additionally went on to carry senior authorities positions.
Amongst them is Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Laos’ present deputy prime minister and international minister.
From provincial authorities to parliament
Xaysomphone studied within the Soviet Union, the place he earned a doctorate in political financial system earlier than returning to Laos and starting his authorities profession in Savannakhet Province. He served first as deputy governor and later as governor from 1989 to 1995.
His transfer to the nationwide authorities got here in 1995, when he was appointed finance minister. He remained within the publish till 1998 and represented Laos at worldwide monetary conferences, together with these of the Worldwide Financial Fund and World Financial institution.
Xaysomphone later served as minister to the Prime Minister’s Workplace earlier than getting into the Nationwide Meeting in 2006. His affect inside the Lao Folks’s Revolutionary Social gathering continued to develop, and in 2016 he joined the Politburo whereas additionally changing into chairman of the Central Committee of the Lao Entrance for Nationwide Building.
5 years later, lawmakers elected him president of the Nationwide Meeting.
He was re-elected in March 2026 to guide the nation’s tenth legislature.
His last years within the position got here as Laos confronted a few of its hardest financial challenges in many years, with excessive inflation, rising dwelling prices and rising stress on family incomes.
A well-known face in regional diplomacy
Past Laos, Xaysomphone additionally performed a job in regional parliamentary diplomacy.
He served as president of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Meeting from 2023 to 2024. He additionally led Lao parliamentary delegations on abroad visits and met senior officers from international locations together with China, Vietnam and Cuba.
His demise leaves the Nationwide Meeting with out the president lawmakers re-elected simply months in the past to guide the brand new parliamentary time period.
In Vientiane, the Social gathering Central Committee Workplace and the Nationwide Meeting are overseeing preparations for his official funeral.
Xaysomphone leaves behind greater than three many years in public life and a political profession carefully tied to considered one of Laos’ most influential households.
