Vietnam: Could a Name Change Signal a Party Renewal?, Part 1

The Communist Party of Vietnam feels an urgent need to revamp itself and strengthen its legitimacy amid changes in the country and beyond. A proposal to change the country's name from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam at a time of intense debates over reform could reflect an attempt by the party to re-evaluate its ideological ties to socialism given its plans for the country's future. The party has been resilient and has survived several transformations. However, it is facing unprecedented pressure to dissolve the country's single-party structure and abandon its socialist trappings in order to retain legitimacy and respond to regional and international shifts.