Vietnam leader seeks more power at party congress

Hundreds of delegates from Vietnam's ruling Communist Party will gather Monday under tight security for a congress that will select the single-party country's top leader and set economic goals for the remainder of the decade.



The week-long event, which operates under opaque rules and convenes every five years, could cement and possibly expand power for the party's current general secretary, To Lam, who has launched sweeping bureaucratic reforms at home and become Vietnam's public face overseas.



About 1,600 delegates will elect a 200-person Central Committee, which then will pick up to 17 to 19 members of the Politburo from which the general secretary is chosen.



Lam is seeking to retain his role and possibly take on the state presidency, which has recently been held by a military leader, officials briefed on the matter said.



The congress is likely to confirm him as general secretary, according to multiple officials, although surprises cannot be ruled out, while the decision about the presidency is expected to be made at a later meeting where the outcome is even less clear.