All 495 lawmakers present endorsed his nomination, according to parliament, formalizing a dual leadership structure that departs from Vietnam’s long-standing system of collective governance.

Lam, who secured a second term earlier this year as head of the Communist Party of Vietnam, now holds both the top party and state positions for the next five years. Analysts say the concentration of authority could streamline policymaking but also raises concerns about increased centralization of power.

In a televised address after the vote, Lam pledged to pursue a new growth strategy driven by science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, while emphasizing stability, self-reliance in defense and improvements in living standards.

The leadership shift marks a structural change in Vietnam’s political system, bringing it closer to models seen in other one-party states where power is concentrated in a single figure.

Observers say this could accelerate economic decision-making in the fast-growing Southeast Asian economy.Lam, 68, previously served as minister of public security and has promoted reforms aimed at boosting competitiveness and reducing reliance on low-cost manufacturing.

His policies have drawn both praise from investors and concerns over potential risks such as market distortions, favouritism and asset bubbles.Vietnam’s foreign policy is expected to remain broadly unchanged, with Lam continuing a balancing approach between major powers while expanding global partnerships.

The National Assembly is expected to appoint a new prime minister later on Tuesday to replace Pham Minh Chinh.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) presented its findings during a closed-door parliamentary session, with lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties saying the agency’s conclusion was based on collected intelligence rather than circumstantial inference.

Briefings indicated the imagery of Ju Ae operating military equipment was intended to project capability and address doubts surrounding the prospect of a female successor.

North Korea’s state-run KCNA last month released photographs showing Kim and his daughter driving a new tank, adding to earlier images of her participating in weapons training, including firing a rifle and handling a handgun. Lawmakers said the pattern of exposure suggested a deliberate effort to embed her within the country’s military narrative.

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sun-won said the public appearances echoed those of Kim Jong Un in the early 2010s, when he was being prepared to succeed his father, describing the imagery as a form of symbolic continuity in leadership grooming. The NIS assessment marks a progression from earlier evaluations that Ju Ae was being prepared for a future role, with her current prominence indicating a more accelerated succession framework.

Lawmakers have previously cited the agency as viewing Ju Ae as effectively the second-ranking figure in North Korea’s leadership hierarchy. People Power Party lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said the NIS dismissed suggestions that Kim Yo Jong might oppose the development, noting she does not exercise independent authority within the system.

Some analysts urged caution in interpreting the developments as definitive confirmation of succession. Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification said the available imagery alone did not establish that Ju Ae had been formally designated as heir, noting she continues to appear alongside her father rather than independently, unlike Kim Jong Un during his own transition period.

North Korea has not publicly confirmed any succession plan, and state media has not explicitly identified Ju Ae as a future leader.