Towards a democratic, perceptive, strong National Assembly

Looking back on the past NA tenures, in addition to the achievements recorded in legislature, supervision, and deciding important national matters, one of the priorities of the current NA will be promoting democracy in all its activities. This is necessary to ensure the Party’s leadership in making decisions based on the majority of votes approving an NA law or resolution. It is also important for creating favourable conditions for each NA deputy to state and discuss their detailed viewpoint of the NA’s authority.

Many key national projects and important national matters have been carefully considered before making decisions. Transparency, publicity and democracy have helped make the NA’s activities more effective and practical. Most NA deputies have successfully fulfilled their tasks as representatives of the voters’ aspirations. Every NA deputy has shown their brainpower and strong stance at the plenary session and NA forums, making contributions to the overall success of the NA. The deputies’ responsibility and seriousness towards managing NA activities has formed a specific culture of behaviour at NA sessions. The whole-hearted, sincere speeches by NA deputies reflect their concentrated thinking, high sense of responsibility and firm stance that will win the trust and faith of the voters.

In the context of both challenges and advantages, the 13^th NA has the great honour and responsibility of promoting the achievements and experiences of the previous NA tenures, and continuing the reforms towards democracy in all NA sessions. 

At the first session of the 13^th NA, almost all the deputies focused on giving opinions on the State apparatus and high-level leaders, proposing nominations for deputies for important posts in the NA and NA bodies according to the Prime Minister’s request for appointing positions in the Government in line with the NA's decisions.

At the session, NA deputies paid special attention to socio-economic tasks and the State budget, as well as resolutions in the 2012 Law and Ordinance Building Programme and amendments to the 1992 Constitution. The NA deputies' understanding and strong position was evident in the discussions, especially their opinions of the 2012 Law and Ordinance Building Programme.

The frank opinions of the NA deputies made the sessions more hectic. Many deputies expressed sympathy for the difficulties and challenges the Government is facing in managing the country. They also proposed solutions for fulfilling their assigned tasks and conveying the opinions and aspirations of the voters to the new NA and the Government.

Chairman Hung delivered a speech in which he pledged to acknowledge the previous achievements and experiences of the NA and the NA Standing Committees in the previous tenures. He was also determined to promote the NA’s brainpower and raise its responsibility for fulfilling its tasks and mandates as stipulated in the Constitution and laws. This will contribute to building an NA deserving of its position as the highest representative body of the people and the most powerful agency of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

In his speech, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also emphasised his determination to fulfill his assigned tasks and deserve the trust and prestige placed upon him by the Party and the people. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also expressed his belief in the 13^th NA will make breakthroughs in all its activities.

Creating a democratic and perceptive NA with a firm position is not only a political aim, but also a necessity in the current national situation in order to make the 13^th NA operate effectively. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to change the Party leadership's ways towards the NA. The NA should reconsider its activities and improve its working methods, and every NA deputy should take on more responsibility and cultivate their political stance. It is also important to strengthen advisory activities to ensure the smooth progress of NA deputies. 

Mass media is a public channel that projects all the NA activities and serves as a link between the NA and voters. Taking on this important role, news agencies and newspapers should adapt their coverage of NA activities and convey voters’ opinions to the NA sessions. This will help promote transparency, public information and democracy in the NA, creating favourable conditions for voters to monitor and supervise the NA and its deputies.

The first session of the 13^th NA has concluded successfully. The results of the session indicate a desire for changes towards a democratic, perceptive National Assembly aiming to meet the demand for building a socialist, law governed state of the people, by the people and for the people.