Editorial: On the occasion of the 75^th Anniversary of Vietnam's National Assembly (January 6, 1946 - January 6, 2021), National Defence Journal would like to introduce the article of Comrade Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Member of the Politburo, Chairwoman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

On January 6, 1946, just four months after President Ho Chi Minh's Declaration of Independence founding the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, pursuant to Decree No. 14-SL1, dated September 8, 1945 and Decree No. 51-SL2, dated October 17, 1945, all Vietnamese voters conducted the first general election to elect the National Assembly (NA) - the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. 333 NA deputies were elected, representing all three regions: North - Central - South, and all industries, genders, ethnic groups, religions, political parties, who would work together and unanimously take on the missions of the country.

After the resounding victory of the first general election in the national history, the Vietnam’s National Assembly was established, affirming the constitutionality and legitimacy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - a state of the people, by the people and for the people, entrusted by the nation with the responsibility of governing the country. This was both an achievement and an urgent requirement for Vietnam’s revolution, marking the glorious beginning of our State upon its foundation and opening a new development period in which our country has a National Assembly, a unified Government, a progressive Constitution, a legalised administration on behalf of the Vietnamese people to implement domestic and foreign affairs. At the same time, it also helped creating a premise to consolidate and promote the great national unity block and defeat all attempts to destroy Vietnamese revolution of reactionary and hostile forces.

The inception of the National Assembly of Vietnam is a milestone in the glorious history of the Vietnamese revolution, demonstrating our nation's mettle, self-reliance, and aspiration for independence and freedom.

Tan Trao Community House, where National People's Congress was convinced

To date, 75 years after the first General Election, the National Assembly of Vietnam, as the highest representative body of the people, the highest body of state power of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, has always upheld its extremely important role in the cause of national liberation, renovation, national construction and defence, and international integration. The development and maturity of the National Assembly of Vietnam has always been associated with the national revolution process under the leadership of the Party.

Over the past 75 years, the National Assembly of Vietnam has gone through many stages of development. In any times, the National Assembly of Vietnam has been constantly striving, overcoming all difficulties and challenges, successfully fulfilling the tasks entrusted by the people, making an important contribution to the overall success of the revolutionary cause.

From its inception to 1960, the National Assembly considered and approved the 1946 Constitution, the 1959 Constitution, 16 laws and 50 resolutions. Sharing the difficulties and hardships with the people, the NA contributed to the national unity and unification, fighting against internal and foreign enemies, building and consolidating the revolutionary government, successfully realising the cause of “resistance war and national construction”.

During the 1960-1980 period, the National Assembly operated under the 1959 Constitution and the Law on Organisation of the National Assembly in 1960. With 05 operational sessions, the National Assembly has promoted its important role in mobilising human strength and energy to liberate the South, unify the country, and develop the whole country to socialism. The historic mark in this period is: on April 25, 1976, the whole country conducted the general election of the National Assembly for the 6^th tenure. This is a significant victory to bring Vietnam revolution to a new stage, heal the wounds of the war, protect the sovereignty of national borders, and develop the country to socialism. At the 7^th session of the National Assembly (6^th tenure) in December 1980, the 1980 Constitution was passed to meet the revolutionary tasks in the new period.

In the period between 1980 and 1992, the National Assembly operated under the 1980 Constitution, the Law on Organisation of the National Assembly and the State Council in 1981. At the 11^th session of the National Assembly (8^th tenure), the 1992 Constitution was approved to institutionalise the National Construction Platform in the transition period to socialism and create a legal corridor for the construction of the socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people, for the people.

Since 1992 to date, the National Assembly has operated under the 1992 Constitution and the 2013 Constitution. With 06 operational sessions, the National Assembly has issued many laws, codes and resolutions to institutionalise the Party's lines according to the resolutions of the Party congresses. At the same time, it has decided on important issues to meet the practical requirements for the interests of the nation, creating an important legal basis for the country to break through and develop. At the sixth session (November 28, 2013), the National Assembly (8^th tenure) approved the 2013 Constitution. This is the Constitution demonstrating the spirit of deep innovation, creating a solid legal framework for the operation of the entire social life on the basis of democracy and the rule of law, at the same time a strong driving force to speed up the process of industrialisation and modernisation of the country and international integration; the institutionalisation of the Country Construction Platform in the transition period to socialism (supplemented in 2011). The 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th National Assemblies, through legislative activities, have enacted many important laws and resolutions to concretise the provisions of the 1992 Constitution and the 2013 Constitution on human rights, rights and basic obligations of citizens; perfect the state apparatus organisation according to the principles of the socialist rule of law State. Its supervisory activities have increasingly shown the spirit of innovation, creativity, and action in the interests of the people and the country. The supervisory contents are practical, covering all economic and social aspects.

Along with that, the external activities of the National Assembly were strengthened, contributing to the effective implementation of the foreign policy of the Party, State and People. The successful hosting of the 132^nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) in Hanoi in March 2015 and the 26^th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) in 2018, are important political events with great diplomatic historical significance, demonstrating the spirit of proactive and positive international integration of the National Assembly, contributing to successfully implementing the foreign policy of the Party and State, constantly improving Vietnam's position in the international arena. In particular, in 2020, the National Assembly of Vietnam assumed the role of President of AIPA and organised the 41^st ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41) in the context of severe outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which have shown the role of an active, proactive, reliable and responsible partner of Vietnam and the National Assembly of Vietnam in the international arena, making an important contribution to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Since the first general election in 1946 to date, under the leadership of the Party and directly under the direction of the Central Executive Committee and the Politburo, the National Assembly of Vietnam has constantly matured, innovated and developed, attained important achievements in constitutional and legislative activities, supreme oversight and decision-making on important issues of the country, meeting the mission requirements of each stage of the revolution, greatly contributing to the national achievement, enhancing the role and position of Vietnam in the international arena.

In the process of development, the National Assembly always accompanies the nation, attaches itself to the people, receives the authorisation from the people, and is trusted by the people to consider the National Assembly as the centralised image of the Vietnamese nation, the embodiment of the national great unity block. At the same time, it has become the highest representative body of the people, the highest body of state power of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, closely attached to and maintained responsible to the voters; always represented for the will and aspirations of the people of building a strong and prosperous Vietnam. Every growth step of the National Assembly is the result of the close relationship between the National Assembly and its constituencies and the people, between the intellectual strength of the people and the intellectual strength of each deputy and agency of the National Assembly. It is also the support, companionship and close coordination of governmental agencies, Vietnam Fatherland Front and mass organisations; the cooperation and help of international friends; support and supervision of the people.

With the motto of solidarity, creativity, acting for the benefit of the people, for national honor and pride, for the sustainable development of the country, each NA member and agency and the entire National Assembly continue to innovate, closely adhere to the functions, duties and authorities under the Constitution and laws to effectively carry out the missions of the highest state authority and the highest representative body of the people. The renewal of NA organisation and activities should be continued on the following orientations:

Continuing to improve the quality and efficiency of legislative activities, timely, fully and properly institutionalising the views, guidelines and policies for national development determined by the 13^th Party Congress for the period of 2021 - 2026, 2030 with a vision to 2045. Basing on the provisions of the 2013 Constitution and documents of the XIII Party Congress, promoting institutional reform in all fields of activity, perfecting the legal system to create a solid legal foundation for the development of the socialist-oriented market economy, and the socialist rule of law State; promoting democracy, protecting and guaranteeing human rights and citizen’s rights, enhancing efficiency of international cooperation and integration in the new development context. Actively renovating the legislative process, ensuring the progress and quality of legal project preparation; focusing on clearly defining legal policies, assessing the impact of policies and laws on regulated entities, ensuring that the passed laws meet the needs of development, efficient and feasible in practice, demonstrating “the Party's will - people's hearts” in each law of the National Assembly.

Improving the monitoring efficiency of the National Assembly, National Assembly agencies and National Assembly deputies; choosing the right and appropriate contents and issues for supreme supervision and thematic supervision; resolutely overcoming the situation of widespread supervision. Continuing to renew the Q&A sessions and accountability at forums of the National Assembly. Conducting the vote of confidence for those holding positions elected and approved by the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution and the Law on Organisation of the National Assembly.

Promoting democracy, upholding responsibility in deciding important issues of the country; Observing the Party's viewpoints, lines, and policies and the country's development practices to discuss and decide on important national issues. The process of discussing and deciding on important development plans, programs and investment projects must always come from the interests of the nation, and the sustainable development of the country; attaching importance to listening to the voices, wills and aspirations of the people, business community, so that the decisions passed are always effective and practical. Enhancing the publicity and transparency of planning, discussing and deciding policies and laws, attracting the ideas and social criticism of scientists, experts, and people on matters decided by the National Assembly.

Continuing to renovate the organisation and activities of the National Assembly, creating a strong transition to the electronic National Assembly model; Actively and actively applying the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the organisation and activities of the National Assembly and its agencies. Promoting experience from the practice of the 14^th National Assembly, continue to renew the sessions of the National Assembly, sessions of the Ethnic Council, and Committees of the National Assembly in the direction of harmonious combination between online meetings and traditional meetings to effectively implement each session's agenda. Constantly improving the quality and efficiency of parliamentary activities, creating a strong shift from the mode of discussion to debate at discussion sessions; enhancing professionalism and creating a high consensus in the activities of the NA.

Focusing on further improving the capability of National Assembly deputies, considering this as a decisive factor in improving the efficiency of the National Assembly's functions, duties and powers. The quality of National Assembly deputies must adhere to the criteria and standards of the Party's cadres, including politics, ideology, morality, lifestyle, education, health, capacity, prestige, etc. In particular, their ideological stance and political steadfastness must be put on top. They must also be exemplary in ethical qualities, lifestyle. Along with that, it is necessary to perfect the mechanism for introducing, selecting the candidate and conducting the election of NA deputies; strengthening the relationship between NA deputies and voters; increasing the number of full-time NA deputies, strongly promoting the role of NA deputies at both central and local levels. At the same time, consolidating and improving the capacity of advisory and assisting agencies, well exploiting the creativity and initiative of each NA agency and deputy.

Reforming the Party's leadership towards the National Assembly; improving the relationship between the National Assembly, the Government, and judicial agencies in order to effectively implement the principle that state power is unified with assignment, coordination and control among legislative, executive and judicial bodies in the new period. Reforming the Party's leadership over the National Assembly is of great significance to the enhancement of the NA’s position, role, quality and efficiency in the conditions of building a socialist rule-of-law State. The Party leads the National Assembly so that it betters and more effectively implements the functions and authorities in accordance with the Constitution and the law, ensuring that the National Assembly forum is truly a convergence of the Party's will and people's hearts. Under the leadership of the Party, continuing to improve the assignment, coordination and control of power between the National Assembly and the Government and relevant agencies in the implementation of the tasks and competence assigned by the people. The companionship of the Government, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Procuracy and relevant agencies to the National Assembly has always been a solid premise for the National Assembly to well perform its role as the most powerful state agency and the highest representative body of the People.

Through 75 years of growth and development, the National Assembly of Vietnam has made great contributions to the national revolutionary cause. Accompanying the nation, sticking closely to the people is a precious tradition of the National Assembly of Vietnam. That precious tradition has always been preserved and promoted through each term of the National Assembly, through each generation of National Assembly deputies. Proud of that glorious tradition, today, the National Assembly is more and more aware of its responsibility and honor to the Fatherland, to the People, to the Party in effectively implementing its functions according to the regulations of the Constitution, constantly striving to work with other state agencies to well implement the power entrusted by the People to always deserve a strong and wise government of the People.

NGUYEN THI KIM NGAN

Member of the Politburo,

Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Socialist Republic of Vietnam