Ho Chi Minh
Served: 1945–1969
Founder and first president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam; he died in office in September 1969.
List of Presidents of Vietnam: Past and Present
Last updated November 2026
This page lists the presidents and heads of state of Vietnam from 1945 to the present, with the years each leader was in office and a short summary of their time in power. Use it to find the current president of Vietnam, former presidents, and key dates in the country's political history.
Current president of Vietnam: To Lam (in office since 2026).
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Presidents of Vietnam in order, with years in office
Ton Duc Thang
Served: 1969–1980
Vice president who succeeded Ho Chi Minh and became president of the reunified country in 1976.
Nguyen Huu Tho
Served: 1980–1981 (acting)
Acting president after Ton Duc Thang's death.
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Truong Chinh
Served: 1981–1987
Chairman of the Council of State, the collective head of state of the period.
Vo Chi Cong
Served: 1987–1992
Chairman of the Council of State.
Le Duc Anh
Served: 1992–1997
First president under the 1992 constitution.
Tran Duc Luong
Served: 1997–2006
Served until the 2006 leadership change.
Nguyen Minh Triet
Served: 2006–2011
Former Communist Party chief of Ho Chi Minh City.
Truong Tan Sang
Served: 2011–2016
Served one term.
Tran Dai Quang
Served: 2016–2018
Former minister of public security; he died in office in September 2018.
Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh
Served: 2018 (acting)
Vice president who acted as president after Tran Dai Quang's death.
Nguyen Phu Trong
Served: 2018–2021
General Secretary of the Communist Party who also held the presidency.
Nguyen Xuan Phuc
Served: 2021–2023
Former prime minister who resigned in January 2023.
Vo Thi Anh Xuan
Served: 2023 (acting)
Vice president who acted as president from January to March 2023.
Vo Van Thuong
Served: 2023–2024
Resigned in March 2024 under party pressure.
Vo Thi Anh Xuan
Served: 2024 (acting)
Acted as president again from March to May 2024.
To Lam
Served: 2024
President from May to October 2024 while also serving as minister of public security, then party chief.
Luong Cuong
Served: 2024–2026
General who took office in October 2024 and left the post in 2026.
To Lam
Served: 2026–present
General Secretary of the Communist Party, elected state president by the National Assembly in April 2026.
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Frequently asked questions about the presidents of Vietnam
Who is the current president of Vietnam?
The current head of state of Vietnam is To Lam, in office since 2026.
Who were the previous presidents of Vietnam?
The presidents and heads of state of Vietnam listed on this page, in order, are: Ho Chi Minh, Ton Duc Thang, Nguyen Huu Tho, Truong Chinh, Vo Chi Cong, Le Duc Anh, Tran Duc Luong, Nguyen Minh Triet, Truong Tan Sang, Tran Dai Quang, Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Nguyen Phu Trong, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Vo Van Thuong, Vo Thi Anh Xuan, To Lam, Luong Cuong, To Lam.
Who was the first president of Vietnam?
Ho Chi Minh was the first president of Vietnam, in office 1945–1969.
Sources: Wikipedia, List of presidents of Vietnam; GlobalSecurity Vietnam leadership list; Universalis and The Investor reports on the 2024 and April 2026 changes (checked Nov 2026). Heads of state of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; South Vietnam's presidents are not listed. Acting presidents are labelled.. Last reviewed November 2026.
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