Since the current leadership, headed by the president, Hu Jintao, and the premier, Wen Jiabao, came to power, a collective-style government has emerged. New figures were "elected" to both the party and the government leadership line-ups in 2007-08. The next reconfiguration will begin in late 2012, when the CCP's 18th congress will select a new party leadership. This will be followed by the installation of a new state leadership in early 2013. The vice-president, Xi Jinping, was appointed to the position of vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (which oversees the armed forces) in October, confirming his status as heir-apparent to Mr Hu. The current executive vice-premier, Li Keqiang, who is regarded as being Mr Hu's favourite among the upcoming generation of cadres, looks set to succeed Mr Wen. However, the top tier of the future leadership does not look to be as ideologically cohesive as the current government. Factional struggles are likely to be intense in 2012-15 as the new leaders seek to establish their independence from their predecessors and compete among themselves for control of the political agenda.

Neither Mr Hu nor his successor is likely to countenance a meaningful opening up of the electoral process. Editorials in a leading CCP newspaper, the People's Daily, in October and November indicated that the government would continue to reject multiparty elections and the constitutional separation of powers in 2011-15.