Laos's Communist Party on Friday chose Bounnhang Vorachit to be its new leader after a vote by a newly formed central committee that did not include the prime minister and former party chief, signalling their political exits.
The country's official KPL news agency said Mr Bounnhang, the 78-year-old current vice president, won the leadership vote on Friday at the five-yearly congress of the secretive party. It did not announce the names of the new elite politburo.
The selection was anticipated by experts, who see a continuation of a status quo in which power is tightly controlled by the party while pursuing strong economic expansion, which has averaged 7.8% since 2011.
The outgoing party chief and president, Choummaly Sayasone, 79, who held both posts since 2006, and Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, 71, were among four serving politburo members who did not apply to join the top committee, state media said.