Revised Constitution opens new era for national development

The document, which will come into effect as from January 1, 2014, has been adopted after two years of preparing, collecting public opinions and discussing at three legislative sessions.

It has 11 chapters and 120 articles, of which 7 remain unchanged, 101 are revised and 12 are new. Chapters have been re-arranged and some new chapters have been added. The principles, main contents and core ideology of the 1992 Constitution have been retained and developed while some new things have been added.

Further clarification of State power

The revised Constitution continues to affirm the nature and master model of the political regime that was identified in the 1992 Constitution. It also adds or clarifies other issues including the principles of organizing state power.

 “There is an important article stipulating the State power of Vietnam’s political institution,” says Binh Duong province deputy Huynh Ngoc Dang, “The Constitution also stipulates the control between state agencies in implementing legislative, executive and judicial rights. This amendment has received support from the public. Mutual control in realizing State power is necessary and obvious”.

The people’s sovereignty is consistently reflected

The people’s sovereignty is clearly stipulated in the revised Constitution highlighting the people’s role as the supreme and sole subject of state power. Hanoi city deputy Nguyen Dinh Quyen says the people’s sovereignty is not indicated just on the paper or just in the statement that ‘all State power belongs to the people’.

“In the revised Constitution, the people’s sovereignty is reflected in the organization and operating principles of the state apparatus and the relation between the state and citizens through democracy and ownership,” Quyen says. “This means that the people’s sovereignty is indicated in different aspects in addition to citizens’ rights and obligations”.

The revised Constitution is advanced in supplementing and fine-tuning human rights and citizens’ rights in accordance with the common progressive trend. The supplement of the concept “human rights” to the Chapter of the same name and some new rights is in line with international conventions on human rights that Vietnam has signed.

Trieu Thi Nai, a Ha Giang province deputy, says the revisions clearly reflect human rights: the rights to receive health care, and education and have personal lives protected. These rights have been promoted, particularly those that concern politics and economics.

The revised Constitution is presented in a clear, concise manner that ensures its long- term stability regarding content on economics, society, culture, education, science, technology and environment.

A fruit of people’s wisdom

Revisions to the Constitution were accumulated from the opinions of more than 26 million people and experts attending more than 27,000 seminars and meetings, the revised Constitution reflects people’s will, wisdom and aspiration.

Dinh Xuan Thao, a Hanoi city deputy, says in the revised Constitution, people acknowledged and affirmed the leading role of the Communist Party of Vietnam as well as the role of the Fatherland Front, its member organizations and the role of the State. People also reached consensus on the economic model, the ownership mechanism, economic sectors, and land-related issue, especially land acquisition.

The adoption of the revised Constitution is an important foundation for institutionalizing principles into mechanisms and policies to meet the demands of national development in the new context.