The National Assembly of Vietnam and the central position of the rule of law state

It was a lively, heroic and evidence-based journey, along with the national fate.

The historical nature of the National Assembly lies in the fundamental shift in functions and positions: From the mission of creating authenticity for a young institution in the midst of hostile surroundings, to the role of exercising the Supreme Power, supervising and deciding on the most important issues of the country in the integration era.

From the "Dien Hong Conference" of the new era to the Declaration of Independence

Few people know that the original shape of the Vietnamese National Assembly was shaped even before the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. That was in the heated August of 1945, when the struggle against the French colonialists and Japanese socialists reached its peak. Under the leadership of the Indochinese Communist Party and leader Ho Chi Minh, on August 16, 1945, the "National Assembly" was trieumed at Tan Trao communal house, Son Duong district, Tuyen Quang province.

This is considered a "Dien Hong Conference" of the new era, where the will of the entire nation gathers. As the predecessor of the National Assembly, the National Assembly of Tan Trao, on behalf of the people of the whole country, made historic decisions: First of all, approved the General Uprising policy and approved 10 major policies of the Viet Minh Front. More importantly, the Congress has appointed the Ethnic Liberation Committee (ie the Provisional Government) to lead the people to gain power. This event not only contributed to the victory of the August Revolution but also created an initial legal basis for the birth of a new-style State institution - the first People's Democratic State in Southeast Asia.

Establishing the legality of legal documents

January 6, 1946 has gone down in history as a brilliant milestone. It is not simply an election event, but a celebration of the huge political force, with international legal significance on the right to self-determination of the Vietnamese people.

The 1946 Constitution holds a special position in the history of Vietnam's legislative process. This is a legal document that lays the foundation for democratic institutions, recognizes personal freedoms and a clear power allocation mechanism. On the basis of the core ideology of "All power in the country belongs to the people", the 1946 Constitution demonstrates President Ho Chi Minh's anti-aging thinking on the rule of law state. Although war conditions have caused many regulations to not be fully implemented, the progressive values of this Constitution are still a guideline, a "red thread" throughout the founding activities of future generations. The National Assembly during this period operated extremely flexibly, both in the fight against and in the fight for national security, demonstrating the close and close connection between the will of the people and decision-making leaders.

Persistently pursuing the goal of unity and reconstruction in the smoke of war

Entering the period of 1946 - 1975, the history of the National Assembly is associated with two long-term resistance wars of the nation. After the Geneve Agreement in 1954, the Vietnamese revolution entered the period of simultaneous implementation of two strategic tasks in the two regions. At this time, the National Assemblies of the 2nd and 3rd terms operated mainly on the basis of the 10% Constitution.

The highlight of this period is the extraordinary resilience of the legislative body to the escalating war situation. The National Assembly is not only the law-making agency but also a place to call for patriotism. Important resolutions have been issued to maximize human and material resources for the Southern frontline, while building technical facilities for socialism in the North. The National Assembly and the Government have steered the country's boats through the rain of bombs and bullets, both producing and fighting.

The period of 1971-1976 (Term IV andterm V) although short, played an important bridging role, maintaining the continuity of state power until the day of victory. This is the period when the National Assembly clearly demonstrates its role as a symbol of the great national unity bloc. During the most intense years of the sabotage war, the National Assembly still maintained its activities, ensuring the legality of macro decisions, and gathering all resources for the highest goal of independence and national unity.

The era of unity: Difficulties and worries in finding a way

The great victory of Spring 1975 opened a new era: the era of independence, unity and the whole country moving towards socialism. The event of the General Election to elect the National Assembly in 1976 (60th National Assembly) marked a historic turning point, completing the state-level unity. For the first time after many years of separation, the river has gathered in one, and the National Assembly is the highest symbol of that unity.

The 6th National Assembly has a great responsibility to build a unified legal system for the whole country. The approval of the 1980 Constitution has created a legal basis for the operation of the state apparatus during the subsidy period. However, this was also a challenging period. The centralized planning mechanism, although effective in war, has revealed limitations that hinder development in peacetime. The National Assembly is now facing great concerns: How can the law accurately reflect real life? How to remove difficulties for the economy on the brink of crisis?

lively reality and the difficulties piled up at this stage are the motivations for the National Assembly and the Party to reconsider management thinking, preparing for a great "transformation" called Doi Moi.

The renovation era: The transformation of legislative thinking and parliamentary culture

The 6th National Party Congress (1986) initiated the Doi Moi process, but it was the National Assembly alone that institutionalized this guideline into law, turning the Party's resolution into the State's will.

The 1992 Constitution was born and is considered the "Constitution of the Doi Moi period", marking a fundamental change in thinking. It replaces the old economic management mindset with a socialist-oriented market mechanism, recognizing the existence of many economic sectors, while establishing the principle of a socialist rule-of-law state.

Legislative activities at this stage are explosive in both quantity and quality. A series of important economic laws such as the Law on Enterprises, the Law on Investment, the Law on Land, the Law on Commerce... were issued one after another. The National Assembly has created an open legal corridor, untieing production, creating conditions for private economic development and paving the way for Vietnam to deeply integrate with the international community.

Not only stopping at the content of laws, the form of operation of the National Assembly has also changed strongly. The strong mark in this process is the shift of methods from "discussion" to "discussion", especially clearly from the early 21st century. Previously, sessions were often heavily concerned with reading pre-prepared reports. But gradually, the atmosphere of the parliament has changed. The questioning sessions are starting to become more straightforward, direct and "hotter" than ever. National Assembly deputies not only play the role of pressing the button to pass, but also become sharp policy analysts, representing the voice and aspirations of voters.

2013 Constitution and the Supreme Supervisory Power

Inheriting and developing previous constitutions, the adoption of the 2013 Constitution is considered a milestone in the history of modern constitution making. For the first time, regulations on human rights and civil rights are placed in a solemn position (Chief II), right after the chapter on political regimes. This shows a profound change in thinking, putting people at the center of development. The 2013 Constitution also established a tighter mechanism for controlling state power, clearly defining authority and coordination, control between legislative, executive and judicial agencies.

In that democratic flow, the Supreme Supervisory Committee of the National Assembly has taken bold and effective steps. One of the unprecedented breakthroughs was the National Assembly's issuance of a Resolution on voting of confidence (2012) and implementation right before the 2013 Constitution was issued, which was then firmly legalized.

This is a soft but powerful power control tool. The results of getting votes of confidence with the levels of "high confidence", "low confidence", and "low confidence" have become a public measure of political prestige, directly affecting personnel work. It forces positions elected or approved by the National Assembly to always strive and "make a living" to perform tasks more effectively. There is no longer a "safe" term, each leadership position must be under constant supervision.

The National Assembly in the digital age and thinking to create development

Entering the 15th tenure, the Vietnamese National Assembly faces unprecedented challenges, typically the COVID-19 pandemic. In the context of the burning water, when the health and lives of the people were at risk, the National Assembly demonstrated extreme flexibility and a noble sense of responsibility.

Also during this period, the "Electronic National Assembly" model has made great strides. Applying information technology helps maintain the operation of the National Assembly without interruption even during the most severe period of social distancing. Online sessions connect from the National Assembly to provincial and municipal bridges; digital documents replace tons of printed documents; apply artificial intelligence in collecting voters' opinions... All have become a new normal state, improving productivity and work efficiency of delegates.

Moreover, the legislative thinking of the National Assembly is strongly shifting from the "management" thinking to the "development creation" thinking. Instead of just waiting passively for draft laws to be submitted, the National Assembly and the Committees proactively take action early and from afar. The National Assembly proactively reviewed the legal system, removed bottlenecks and overlapping conflicts in institutions that are holding back social resources. The law making process is increasingly strict, focusing on feasibility, longevity of documents and especially listening to social criticism.

In the new period, with the goal of building a strong, prosperous and happy Vietnam, the National Assembly continues to be the embodiment of the great national unity bloc, a place to convey the belief and aspiration of voters nationwide for a fair, democratic and civilized society. The heroic history of the past is a solid launching pad for the Vietnamese National Assembly to continue to innovate, worthy of being the highest representative body of the People, the highest State power body of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

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