President of Vietnam

President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Emblem of Vietnam
Presidential Logo
Incumbent Trần Đại Quang since 2 April 2016
Style	Mr. President (informal) His Excellency (formal)
Member of	Central Committee of the Communist Party Central Police Party Committee Central Military Commission Cabinet
Residence	Presidential Palace, Hanoi, Vietnam
Appointer	National Assembly
Term length	Five years renewable twice
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Vietnam
Inaugural holder	Hồ Chí Minh 26 August 1945
Formation	2 September 1945
Deputy	Vice President of Vietnam
Website	Official website (Vietnamese)

The President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Chủ tịch nước Cộng hoà Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam) is, according to the constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the head of state of Vietnam. In addition, the president appoints the head of government, the Prime Minister. In this capacity, the President represents the government both domestically and internationally, and maintains the regular and coordinated operation and stability of the national government and safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of the country. The President appoints the Vice President, Prime Minister, Ministers and other officials with the consent of the National Assembly. The President is furthermore the commander-in-chief of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces, Chairman of the Council for Defense and Security. Moreover, Standing Member of the Central Military Commission and the Central Police Party Committee. Since September 2011, the President is also the Head of the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform. The tenure of the President is five years, and a president can only serve three terms. If the President becomes unable to discharge duties of office, the Vice President or Prime Minister assumes the office of acting president until the President resumes duty, or until the election of a new president.

The powers and prestige of the office of President have varied over the years. For instance, while the inaugural president, Hồ Chí Minh, was also the Chairman of the Communist Party, making him the first ranking member of the Politburo, the highest decision-making body in Vietnam, his successor, Tôn Đức Thắng, served as a symbolic figure along with the General Secretary Lê Duẩn. Since Trường Chinh's ascension to the presidency, the President has been ranked 1st or 2nd in the order of precedence of the Communist Party's Politburo except President Nguyen Minh Triet ranked fourth and President Vo Chi Cong ranked third. The current president is Trần Đại Quang, since 2 April 2016. He is ranked second in the Politburo hierarchy, after General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.