Over 80 years in the flow of history, the National Assembly — the highest representative body of the people and the highest organ of state power — has always been a sacred symbol of the great national unity bloc, of the Party's will, and the people's heart, standing alongside the nation through all difficulties and challenges, towards a bright future.
The first General Election to elect the Viet Nam National Assembly affirmed the people's mastery, seen as a glorious milestone after independence, an epic marking the birth of a new polity, affirming the mastery of the working people.
President Ho Chi Minh once stressed: “Our National Assembly is elected freely by the entire people, the true representative of the people of the whole country from North to South.” This has become the guiding compass for the National Assembly to always accompany the nation.
Always placing national and ethnic interests above all, the National Assembly demonstrates its great responsibility in bringing the Party's policies and lines into practice, always closely stands alongside, with tight consensus between the Party and the people.
Looking back over 80 years, the development path of the legislature has been one of steadfastness, creativity, and continuous innovation.
Party General Secretary To Lam
Speaking at a meeting with nearly 2,000 National Assembly deputies from different tenures, Party General Secretary To Lam emphasised that looking back over 80 years, the development path of the legislature has been one of steadfastness, creativity, and continuous innovation.
Since the historic general election on January 6, 1946 — the first democratic election in the nation’s history — the National Assembly has decided on the country’s most vital issues.
The nation's history records glorious milestones shaping the stature of Viet Nam's National Assembly. This is demonstrated in the 1946 Constitution — the nation’s first constitutional document affirming that power belongs to the people; the Constitutions in 1959, 1980, 1992, and 2013; along with constitutional amendments and supplements in 2001. Last year, the National Assembly adopted a resolution on amending and supplementing several articles of the 2013 Constitution.
Each period, each constitution clearly reflects the development of thinking and institutions, mirrors the country's new development level, and institutionalises the Doi Moi (Renewal) guideline, while ensuring human rights and citizens' rights.
Party General Secretary To Lam emphasised that through two prolonged resistance wars, the period of national reunification, the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland, and then the era of Doi Moi and deep international integration, the National Assembly has always stood side by side with the nation, and has been the place where great national decisions reflecting the will and aspirations of the people have been democratically discussed, carefully adopted, and decisively implemented.
Amid numerous difficulties and challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the 15th National Assembly has demonstrated its mettle in “leading by one step in institutions.”
Looking back at the past five years, the 15th National Assembly held 19 sessions (including 9 extraordinary sessions) and passed nearly 150 laws and 49 resolutions — the highest figure to date. This has helped address urgent and pressing issues such as epidemics and economic matters, with the consistent spirit of “constructive legislation, centring on people and businesses.”
The 15th National Assembly also leaves strong mark with digital transformation, through which the application of information technology and artificial intelligence is accelerated to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of operations, shortening the distance from the Ba Dinh meeting hall to many remote villages in major national and era-spanning policies, close to practical life, stemming from the people's thoughts and aspirations.
Supervisory activities have also been strongly renovated. The National Assembly has conducted comprehensive supervision of the implementation of policies and laws on COVID-19 prevention and control; and supervision on digital transformation, salary policies, health insurance, and public investment disbursement.
All legislative activities, supervision, and major decisions stem from national and ethnic interests and the people's legitimate aspirations, without allowing provisions embedding group interests to slip through. This requires building a truly digital National Assembly where voters can reflect suggestions and proposals and supervise the National Assembly and each deputy.
80 years is not a long journey in the nation's historical march, but it is enough to affirm that Viet Nam's National Assembly is not only the highest power organ but also a symbol of great unity, self-reliant will, and development aspirations.
Entering the 2026-2031 term, the country faces new opportunities, such as the final golden population structure, the green revolution, digital economy, deep integration. But it is also the time to confront challenges like climate change, strategic competition, public debt, and ageing population costs.
The Party has determined that the National Assembly and government must “lead by one step in institutions”, strongly shifting the mindset from “legislating to manage” to “legislating for development”, removing all bottlenecks and unleashing all resources.
The 16th National Assembly are tasked with perfecting a modern, transparent, accessible legal system; shortening legislative cycles; expanding input from experts, businesses, and the youth; and strongly employing science and technology. The digital National Assembly must become an open space where voters can directly reflect, suggest, and supervise each deputy, each session, and each draft law.
80 years is not a long journey in the nation's historical march, but it is enough to affirm that Viet Nam's National Assembly is not only the highest power organ but also a symbol of great unity, self-reliant will, and development aspirations.
In the new era — the era of peace, integration, and sustainable development — the National Assembly's consistent message remains steadfast in the goal of national independence linked with socialism; striving together with the entire Party, army, and people to realise the goal of making Viet Nam a prosperous, strong, powerful, and thriving nation, standing shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the five continents in a world of peace and cooperation.
On that journey, with wisdom and ceaseless renewal momentum, the National Assembly demonstrates its mettle and courage in leading by one step in institutions, pioneering in deciding on difficult issues and new matters of the country and era without precedent, creating strong momentum to promote development, for the interests of the country, the Fatherland, and the people.
