Lao rule of law unlikely to see gains in 2016

Subject

Rule of law, development and politics in Laos.

Significance

Laos holds National Assembly and People's Council elections on March 20. These will mask the country's difficulty in implementing the full rule of law. Beneath the veneer of a robust legislative and executive system lie incidents of asset expropriation, human rights abuses and official malfeasance.

Impacts

• A more robust legal framework could drive further foreign investment into Laos.
• Increasing the National Assembly's institutional capacity will be a slow process while the LPRP dominates.
• Corruption and state capacity gaps will limit available state development capital.
• Governance quality indices will reflect concerns over Lao civil society, complicating Vientiane's diplomacy.