 | ||
Laos elects a legislature nationally and the public also participates in the election of village heads. The National Assembly (Sapha Heng Xat) has 149 members, elected for five year terms.
Laos is a one-party state. According to the constitution, elections are in accordance with the principles of Democratic Centralism and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party serves as the "Leading nucleus" of the political system.
The last elections were held on March 20th, 2016. The Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) took 144 seats in the 149-member National Assembly while the five remaining seats went to independents. Nearly 73% of members were elected to the National Assembly for the first time. During the election campaign, many candidates focused on development, promising to serve the interests of the nation and the people.