Innovating Legislative Thinking to Prevent "Institutional Backlogs" from Hindering National Development

On the afternoon of March 31 in Hanoi, a conference to adopt the draft report on the first round of inspection and supervision, and to implement the decision on the second round of inspection and supervision by the Politburo and the Secretariat for the Standing Committee of the National Assembly Party Committee, was held under the chairmanship of General Secretary To Lam, Head of Inspection and Supervision Delegation No. 10. The conference not only reviewed initial results in the leadership and direction of the National Assembly Party Committee, but also set out new and higher requirements for legislative activities in the country’s next stage of development.

In his directive remarks at the conference, General Secretary Tô Lâm acknowledged that the National Assembly Party Committee has demonstrated a proactive and resolute spirit in concretizing the Party’s guidelines and policies into specific action programs and plans. This serves as an important foundation for further renewing the National Assembly’s activities toward greater substance, effectiveness, and efficiency. In particular, legislative thinking has shown a clear shift, reflecting the National Assembly’s strong sense of responsibility in removing bottlenecks, unlocking resources, and creating momentum for rapid and sustainable development.

The message emphasized at the conference is the need to translate the trust and expectations of voters and the people into sound decisions, high-quality laws, and substantive oversight activities. This is not only a political requirement but also a practical necessity, as institutions are increasingly becoming a decisive factor in national competitiveness and the effectiveness of governance. Accordingly, the National Assembly must continue to affirm its role as the highest legislative body, while also serving as the central institution for the timely, comprehensive, and consistent institutionalization of the Party’s major policies.

The General Secretary stressed that there must be no delays in institutionalizing the Party’s policies and that “institutional backlogs” must not become bottlenecks to development. This directive highlights that legislative work must not only ensure the timely drafting of laws and ordinances but also improve policy quality, the feasibility of regulations, and the effectiveness of implementation after enactment. Each draft law and each resolution of the National Assembly must truly take effect in practice, helping to address major national issues and serving the people, businesses, and overall development.

Another important issue noted by the General Secretary is the preparation for the first session of the 16th National Assembly. This session is of particular significance, as it not only marks the beginning of a new term but also shapes the direction of the National Assembly’s activities for the entire 2026–2031 period. Accordingly, the session’s agenda must be carefully prepared, substantive, and feasible; its organization and conduct must be professional and modern; and the decisions adopted must achieve broad social consensus and be promptly institutionalized into a clear and coherent legal framework.

From this requirement, the task of renewing the mindset in lawmaking continues to be urgently posed. The legislative activities of the National Assembly cannot be limited to amending or supplementing individual provisions, but must be associated with institutional completion in the spirit of the Party’s major resolutions, especially the orientation on building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law state of Vietnam in the new period. The quality of the National Assembly’s legislation and supervision, as emphasized by the General Secretary, will directly determine the effectiveness of implementing the country’s objectives for high, sustainable, and comprehensive growth.

Notably, the General Secretary also emphasized two urgent matters: the implementation of a comprehensive review of Vietnam’s legal system according to a roadmap, and the completion of the codification of the contents of Government resolutions that have been issued under the legislative delegation procedure. These are tasks of particularly significant importance for institutional completion, addressing overlaps, contradictions, and inconsistencies within the legal system, while simultaneously enhancing the transparency, stability, and predictability of the legal environment.

Speaking at the Conference, National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn affirmed that the Party Committee of the National Assembly will continue to lead and direct the successful organization of the first session of the 16th National Assembly; at the same time, it affirmed that the Action Program of the Party Committee of the National Assembly serves as the “guiding compass” for all activities of the National Assembly during the new term. The immediate focus is to advise the Standing Committee of the National Assembly in developing a plan to implement the Project “Legislative Orientation for the 16th National Assembly Term,” and to continue reviewing and completing the legal system in order to institutionalize the core and important contents of the Party’s 14th National Congress Documents and the strategic resolutions of the Politburo.

It can be seen that, in the context of the country entering a new development phase with the requirements of rapid, sustainable, autonomous growth and deep integration, the legislative activities of the National Assembly are expected to become an important driver for development. Avoiding “institutional debt,” accelerating the institutionalization of the Party’s orientations, and raising the quality of legislation and the effectiveness of supervision are not only tasks of the National Assembly alone but also demands arising from the practical need to build a socialist rule-of-law state, for the purpose of achieving a prosperous and happy country.