The Constitutional and Political System
 
The political system
Whereas communist parties in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe have crumbled, in Laos, the ruling Communist Party, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) has retained undiluted political control since 1975. The constitution, adopted in August 1991, notes simply in Article 3 that the LPRP is the "leading nucleus" of the political system. The structure of the Party consists of the following functional units:

The Party Congress: This unit is nominally the supreme decision-making body. Party members theoretically elect the Political Bureau, the Central Committee, the Secretariat of the Central Committee and the members of its various committees. However, the congress essentially meets to ratify decisions already taken by Party Leaders as to who should fill these positions. Normally, the Party Congress meets every five years.  
 
The Political Bureau (Politburo): The Politburo is the real centre of power in the LPRP and is the most powerful political unit in the country. Its main functions are to formulate the Party's important policies in general and to control the operation of both the Party itself and the government. The politburo administers the activities of the Party on behalf of the Central Committee. This means on behalf of the Party Congress as well.  
 
The Central Committee: The Central Committee acts as the core of the LPRP. The Party Congress elects all its members.

Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC): The LFNC was established in 1979 and is a so-called mass organisation. In 1988, the LFNC was given responsibility for programmes on ethnic minority affairs (responsibility for research into ethnic minorities rests with the Institute for Cultural Research under the Ministry of Information and Culture). The LFNC has three departments: Ethnic Minorities, the Department for Religion and the Department for Information.
 
Government Policy and Legislative Framework Regarding Ethnic Groups  
According to the 1991 Constitution, Lao PDR is defined as a multi-ethnic state, with "equality among all ethnic groups". Article 8 of the Constitution reads:
 
The State pursues the policy of promoting unity and equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups have the rights to protect, preserve and promote the fine customs and cultures of their own tribes and of the nation. All acts of creating division and discrimination among ethnic groups are forbidden. The State implements every measure to gradually develop and upgrade the economic and social level of all ethnic groups.
 
It is assumed here that the intention of the Constitution is therefore to grant equal status to all ethnic groups, and to this end no reference is made to distinctions between highlanders (Lao Soung) and lowlanders (Lao Loum) or midlanders (Lao Theung) (that is, from this point on, the terms Lao Loum, Lao Theung, Lao Soung are no longer recognized as official terminology). The Constitution defines the Lao PDR as a multi-ethnic state, as well as guaranteeing a number of fundamental rights, including the right to work (Article 26), and freedom of assembly and association (Article 31). 
 
The 1992 ethnic minority policy, Resolution of the Party Central Organisation Concerning Ethnic Minority Affairs in the New Era, focuses on gradually improving the lives of ethnic minorities while promoting their ethnic identity and cultural heritage. It is the cornerstone of current national ethnic minority policy. The general policy of the Party concerning ethnic minorities can be summarised as follows:

• Build national sentiment (national identity).
• Achieve equality between ethnic minorities.
• Increase the level of solidarity among ethnic minorities as members of the greater Lao family.
• Resolve problems of inflexible and vengeful thinking, as well as economic and cultural inequality.
• Improve the living conditions of the ethnic minorities step by step.
• Expand, to the greatest extent possible, the good and beautiful heritage and ethnic identity of each group as well as their capacity to participate in the affairs of the nation.

Implementation of the Party's policy on ethnic minorities is the responsibility of the LFNC.
 
The Ethnic Minorities Committee under the National Assembly is charged with drafting and evaluating proposed legislation concerning ethnic minorities, plus lobbying for its implementation as well as that of socio-economic development plans.  Ethnic minority research is the responsibility of the Institute for Cultural Research under the Ministry of Information and Culture.  The lead institution for ethnic affairs is the LNFC.