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Vietnam

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Vietnam Politics, sometimes defined as the art and science of government. ... Vietnam coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, reaffirming the central role of the Communist Party of Vietnam in politics and society, and outlining government reorganization and increased market reforms in the economy. ...

Constitution President Trần Đức Lương Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải National Assembly Political parties Vietnamese Fatherland Front Communist Party of Vietnam Secr. Gen.: Nông Ðức Mạnh Elections Human rights Foreign relations Foreign aid

The President of Vietnam is the head of state of Vietnam, although the functions of the President are often ceremonial. ... Tran Duc Luong (2004) Trần Đức LÆ°Æ¡ng (陳德良, born May 5, 1937) is the President of Vietnam. ... The Prime Minister of Vietnam is the head of the executive branch of the Vietnamese government. ... Phan Văn Khải is the Prime Minister of Vietnam since September 24, 1997, and was re-elected in August 2002. ... Political parties in Vietnam lists political parties in Vietnam. ... The Vietnamese Fatherland Front (Vietnamese: Mặt Trận Tổ Quốc Việt Nam) is an umbrella group of pro-government mass movements in Vietnam, and has close links to the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese government. ... Stamp featuring Ho Chi Minh commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Communist Party The Communist Party of Vietnam (Đảng Cá»™ng sản Việt Nam) is the currently and indefinitely ruling, as well as the only legal political party in Vietnam. ... Nông Ðức Mạnh (農德孟) is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and has held that position since April 22, 2001. ... Elections in Vietnam gives information on election and election results in Vietnam. ... In its 2004 report on Human Rights Practices, the U.S. Department of State characterized Vietnam’s human rights record as “poor” and cited the continuation of “serious abuses. ... During the Second Indochina War (1954-75), North Vietnam balanced relations with its two major allies, the Soviet Union and the Peoples Republic of China. ... Foreign Aid to Vietnam The World Bank’s assistance program for Vietnam has three objectives: to support Vietnam’s transition to a market economy, to enhance equitable and sustainable development, and to promote good governance. ...

The constitution recognizes the National Assembly of Vietnam as “the highest organ of state power.” The National Assembly, a 498-member unicameral body elected to a five-year term, meets twice a year. The assembly appoints the president (chief of state), the prime minister (head of government), chief procurators of the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Office of Supervision and Control (the heads of the judiciary), and the 21-member cabinet (the executive). Once a rubber stamp, the National Assembly has become moreassertive in holding ministers accountable and amending legislation. Ultimately, however, the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) controls the executive and the electoral process. The VCP exercises control through the 150-member Central Committee, which elects the 15-member Politburo at national party congresses held every five years. Members of the party hold all senior government positions. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ... Stamp featuring Ho Chi Minh commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Communist Party The Communist Party of Vietnam (Đảng Cộng Sản Việt Nam) is the ruling party in Vietnam. ... Politburo is short for Political Bureau. ...

Constitutionally, the National Assembly is the highest government organization and the highest-level representative body of the people. It has the power to draw up, adopt, and amend the constitution and to make and amend laws. It also has the responsibility to legislate and implement state plans and budgets. Through its constitution-making powers it defines its own role and the roles of the Council of State, the Council of Ministers, the People's Councils and People's Committees, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Organs of Control. The assembly can elect and remove members of the Council of Ministers, the chief justice of the Supreme People's Court, and the procurator general of the People's Supreme Organ of Control. Finally, it has the power to initiate or conclude wars and to assume other duties and powers it deems necessary. The term of each session of the National Assembly is five years, and meetings are convened twice a year, or more frequently if called for by the Council of State.

Despite its many formal duties, the National Assembly exists mainly as a legislative arm of the VCP's Political Bureau. It converts Political Bureau resolutions into laws and decrees and mobilizes popular support for them. In this role, the National Assembly is led by the Council of Ministers acting through the Council of State and a variable number of special-purpose committees. Actual debate on legislation does not occur. Instead, a bill originates in the Council of Ministers, which registers the bill and assigns a key party member to present it on the floor. Before presentation, the member will have received detailed instructions from the party caucus in the assembly, which has held study sessions regarding the proposed legislation. Once the legislation is presented, members vote according to party guidelines.

A general national election to choose National Assembly delegates is held every five years. The first election following the reunification of the North and South was held in April 1976 and the voters selected 492 members, of which 243 represented the South and 249 the North. In 1987 the Eighth National Assembly numbered 496 members. Because successful candidates were chosen in advance, the electoral process was not genuine. No one could run for office unless approved by the party, and in many cases the local body of the party simply appointed the candidates. Nevertheless, every citizen had a duty to vote, and, although the balloting was secret, the electorate, through electoral study sessions, received directives from the party concerning who should be elected. The elections in 1987, however, were comparatively open by Vietnamese standards. It was evident that the party was tolerating a wider choice in candidates and more debate.

References

• This article contains material from the Library of Congress Country Studies which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain. - Country Study and profile