Forum on Law-making - Improving institutions and laws to create "a breakthrough of breakthroughs" in the new era

The First Forum on Law-Making was attended by leaders of the National Assembly, the Government, Party and State bodies, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, central ministries and sectors; representatives of the Standing Committees of the People’s Councils and the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally run cities; research institutes, universities, experts, scientists, and researchers. The scale and composition of participants reflected a very strong political determination to continue renewing and improving the quality of law-making and law enforcement, meeting the requirements of rapid and sustainable national development in the context of deep international integration.

Delivering the opening remarks at the Forum, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man emphasized that law-making is a central, consistent, and regular task of the National Assembly. Nearly 80 years since the first general election, Viet Nam’s legal system has been increasingly improved and more coherent, creating an important legal framework for the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland. For the first time, the Forum on Law-Making was held in connection with the review of the 15th National Assembly tenure, serving as an opportunity to objectively and comprehensively assess legislative work, thereby proposing solutions to further improve institutions and laws in the new period.

The National Assembly Chairman affirmed that, inheriting and promoting the results and experience of previous tenures, the law-making work of the 15th National Assembly has undergone many important innovations, clearly demonstrating its role of “taking the lead in institutional matters”, and affirming the central position of the National Assembly in institutional development. The National Assembly proactively developed and submitted to the Politburo for approval the Orientation of the Law-Making Programme for the entire tenure, providing a basis for agencies to be proactive and coordinated in preparation and implementation.

Along with that, the National Assembly promptly amended the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents and issued important resolutions aimed at reforming the legislative process, including Resolution No. 197 on renewing and improving the legislative drafting process, demonstrating the determination to enhance the quality of each draft law and resolution. A large number of laws and resolutions were adopted, covering a wide scope of regulation, contributing to the removal of difficulties and obstacles for socio-economic development, national defence, security, external relations, and the prevention and control of corruption and other negative phenomena.

Notably, during the final sessions of the tenure, the National Assembly clearly demonstrated a renewed legislative mindset, strengthening the application of science, technology, and artificial intelligence in law-making activities; focusing on issues within the competence of the National Assembly while granting the Government greater initiative and flexibility in organising the implementation of laws, in association with promoting administrative procedure reform and ensuring reasonable and effective decentralisation and delegation of powers. The National Assembly also acted flexibly and responded promptly to situations arising from reality, such as issuing special mechanisms for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic and authorising the Government to adjust certain legal provisions under special conditions, demonstrating a spirit of companionship and shared responsibility with the Government and the entire political system.

Alongside the notable achievements, the National Assembly Chairman frankly pointed out that the improvement of institutions still has limitations and has not fully met practical requirements. Certain legal provisions have not truly adapted quickly to the context of deep international integration and emerging issues; inconsistencies, limited feasibility, and low predictability remain. Following the directives of General Secretary To Lam at the 14th Plenum, this Forum continues to delve into issues such as delays in issuing implementing guidelines, incomplete decentralisation and delegation of powers, and accountability that is unclear in certain places and at certain times; as well as bottlenecks in land, capital markets, and skilled labour, together with policy communication that has not been “accurate – sufficient – timely”.

From that reality, the National Assembly Chairman requested agencies, organisations, deputies, experts, and scientists to focus on discussing and proposing solutions to effectively implement Resolution No. 66 dated 30 April 2025 of the Politburo on reforming the law-making and law-enforcement work; to strictly adhere to the legislative process, resolutely prevent and combat corruption and group interests in accordance with the spirit of Regulation 178; and to further strengthen close, timely, and effective coordination between the agencies of the National Assembly and the Government, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, judicial bodies, and relevant agencies. Every law must be grounded in national and ethnic interests and the legitimate aspirations of the People, contributing to improving the material and spiritual well-being of the People and ensuring human rights and citizens’ rights.

The National Assembly Chairman stressed the requirement to continue renewing thinking in law-making, turning legal institutions into a competitive advantage and a driving force for national development, identifying law-making as the “breakthrough of breakthroughs”. At the same time, it is necessary to regularly review, detect, and promptly amend and supplement gaps, loopholes, and obstacles in the legal system; ensure consistency, stability, and feasibility, meeting urgent tasks while creating a long-term legal framework for sustainable development, international integration, national digital transformation, and the application of science, technology, and artificial intelligence throughout the entire process of law-making and law enforcement.

In the spirit of a “socialist rule-of-law State of the People, by the People and for the People”, the National Assembly Chairman also noted that, along with the promulgation of laws, decrees, and circulars, special attention must be paid to the dissemination, communication, and education of the law so that every cadre, Party member, and citizen “lives and works in accordance with the Constitution and the law”. This is also the responsibility of the entire political system, in which communication and dissemination regarding law-making activities and this Law-Making Forum must be carried out strongly, vividly, and in a manner that is easy to understand and remember, directed toward all groups of the People.

With a spirit of openness and willingness to listen, the First Forum on Law-Making is expected to become a channel that gathers the intellect, dedication, and responsibility of National Assembly deputies, experts, scientists, and practitioners, contributing to improving the quality and effectiveness of the law-making work and the completion of institutions, enabling the Party’s guidelines and policies to be promptly concretised into laws and brought into practice; and at the same time strengthening the People’s trust in the National Assembly - the highest organ of State power and the highest representative body of the People.