Alternative History
Prime Minister of Vietnam
Kim-ngan2 navm
Incumbent
Dame Kim Ngan

since 30 May 2016
Chief Executive of
His Majesty's Government (1945-2023)
The People's Government (2023-present)
Style The Right Honorable
Her Excellency (abroad)
Residence The Gill Palace, Hue
Seat Hue
Appointer Monarch of Vietnam (through the Governor-General) (1945-2023)
President of Vietnam (2023-present)
with the confidence of the House of Representatives and the Senate
Term length At His Majesty's pleasure (1945-2023)
At the President pleasure (2023-present)
At the Parliament's pleasure (de facto)
Formation November 1945
First holder Ho Chi Minh
Deputy First Secretary of State (informal)
Salary 400,000 VND

Some information on this article may be out-of-date following the republic referendum on 1 April 2023.

The Prime Minister of Vietnam, abbreviated as PM, is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Vietnam.

The prime minister is the leader of the central government and is also accountable to the House of Representatives under the principles of responsible government. The current prime minister since 2016 is The Baroness Kim Ngan, leader of the Socialist Fatherland Front (an alliance between the Democratic Socialists and the Labor Party/Viet Minh) and the first woman to hold that office.

Formally appointed by the President (prior to 2023, the Monarch through the Governor-General of Vietnam), the office of the prime minister is governed by Westminster system convention. To become prime minister, a politician should be able to command the confidence of both chambers of parliament: the House of Representatives and the House of Mandarins. However, if the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or designation of the prime minister, the House of Representatives can insist on its decision. As such, the prime minister is typically the leader of the majority party or coalition in the lower house. Prime ministers do not have a set duration or number of terms, but an individual's term generally ends when their political party loses a federal election, or they lose or relinquish the leadership of their party.

Executive power is formally vested in the President (prior to 2023, the Monarch and exercised by the governor-general) on advice from government ministers, who are nominated by the prime minister and form the Cabinet for the People's Government (formerly His Majesty's Government). The most senior ministers form the federal cabinet, which the prime minister chairs. The prime minister also heads the National Cabinet and the National Security Committee. Administrative support is provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The prime minister's official residence is The Gill Palace (Điện Mang Cá) in the capital of Hue.

Twelve people have served as prime minister, the first of whom was Ho Chi Minh taking office in November 1945 following the first legislative election and the establishment of British rule (Ho himself served as the Prime Minister of the interim government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam established following the August Revolution in 1945). The longest-serving prime minister was Ngo Dinh Diem, who served over 18 years, during which Vietnam was effectively ruled as a dictatorship. There is no legislated line of succession, however convention determines that the governor-general shall commission the First Secretary of State (deputy prime minister) on a caretaker basis.

The official title of the government is His Majesty's Government. Since the republic referendum in 2023, it had been known as The People's Government.

List of prime ministers of Vietnam
No. Name Portrait Party Term of office Elections won Previous title
1 Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh 1946 Viet Minh1 November

1945

March

1954

1945, 1949, 1953 Founder and 1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1945)

Founder and Leader of the Viet Minh

2* Tran Trong Kim Mr. Tran Trong Kim Independent March 1954 June 1954 Prime Minister of the Empire of Vietnam under Japanese rule (1945)

Deputy Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Vietnam (1945-1954)


Note: served as caretaker after Ho Chi Minh and Viet Minh were banned by British authorities.

3 Nguyen Tuong Tam Nguyen Tuong Tam Nationalist June 1954 Aug 1954 1954 Foreign Affairs Minister of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1945)

Chancellor of the Treasury of the Commonwealth of Vietnam (1945-1947)


Note: Overthrown by Ngo Dinh Diem in the August Coup allegedly sponsored by MI6 and CIA.

4 Ngo Dinh Diem Ngo Dinh Diem - Thumbnail - ARC 542189 Nationalist Aug 1954 April 1979 Dictatorship Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel of the Nguyen Dynasty (1933)


Note: Longest-serving Prime Minister. Killed in a coup by his successor.

5 Duong Van Minh Duong Van Minh Nationalist April 1979 May 1985 Dictatorship Lieutenant General of the Army


Note: Went into exile after Vietnamese Independence from the British Empire.

6 Nguyen Van Linh Nguyenvanlinh2 Labor May 1985 Oct 1992 1985, 1989, 1990 Founder of the Labor Party, successor of the Viet Minh


Note: First Prime Minister of Independent Vietnam.

7 Do Muoi Do muoi Labor Oct 1992 May 1997 1994, 1995 Deputy Prime Minister (1985-1992)


Note: Architect of land reform and nationalization of foreign enterprises.

8 Sir Vo Van Kiet Vo Van Kiet Libertarians (in coalition with Conservative) May 1997 June 2001 1997 Shadow Finance Minister (1995-1997)


Note: First non-Labor Prime Minister since independence. Architect of "Doi Moi" that enabled Vietnam's transition into a free-market economy.

9 Sir Phan Van Khai Mr. Phan Van Khai Conservative (in coalition with Libertarians) June 2001 Aug 2007 2002 Deputy Prime Minister (1997-2001)


Note: Advocate of "Asian-styled Democracy" and "21st-Century Vietnamese Nationalism".

10 Nguyen Tan Dung Nguyen Tan Dung June 2015 Conservative (in coalition with Libertarians) Aug 2007 Feb 2008 2007 Governor of the Bank of Vietnam (2004-2007)


Note: Lost vote of confidence after the Great Recession, triggering general election,

11 Sir Nguyen Xuan Phuc (formerly the Earl of Que Xuan) Dc-nguyen-xuan-phuc Labor Feb 2008 May 2016 2008, 2010, 2014 Finance Minister (2007-2008)


Note: Longest-serving Prime Minister since independence.

12 Dame Kim Ngan (formerly the Baroness Kim Ngan of Chau Hoa) Kim-ngan2 navm Democratic (in coalition with Labor) May 2016 incumbent 2016, 2020 Lord Speaker of the House of Mandarins (2000-2014)


Note: First woman to hold this office.

(*) denotes those serving on a caretaker basis; 1Viet Minh was banned after 1954 and was de facto re-established in 1985 as the Labor Party, which continues to be known informally by the old name.