Building a rule-of-law state of the people, by the people and for the people

ABO/NDO – Every year, every time the National Day falls, on September 2, every Vietnamese living inside or outside the country is full of spiritual feelings and deep national pride.

A meeting of the 14th NA's sixth session. (Photo: NDO)

Over the past 74 years, September 2 has always been the occasion for the Vietnamese people to turn their hearts toward the country, to commemorate the national heroes and martyrs who made brave sacrifices for the independence and freedom of the nation, while expressing their love, respect and infinite gratitude to the great President Ho Chi Minh.

The 74th anniversary of the National Day of September 2 this year becomes even more meaningful as the country is carrying out various practical activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's Testament.

After the great victory of the August Revolution, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly read the Declaration of Independence at the historic Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first democratic state in Southeast Asia, bringing the nation into an era of independence and freedom.

In the process of leading the revolution, the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh have always payed attention to building a rule-of-law state. Therefore, the policy of building a rule-of-law state of the people, by the people and for the people was affirmed in the 1946 Constitution, followed by the 1959, 1980, 1992 and 2013 Constitutions.

The state being of the people, by the people and for the people, was always at the top of President Ho Chi Minh’s thought and direction. Even in his Testament 50 years ago, he advised: "The Party needs to have a good plan for economic and cultural development, to constantly improve the lives of the people." The people are always in his heart. He wrote: "In the end, I leave endless love for all the people, for the whole Party, for the entire army, and for young people and children."

Imbued with Ho Chi Minh's thought on building a state of the people, by the people and for the people, in recent years the Party has issued and regularly paid attention to leading and directing the implementation of multiple guidelines and resolutions on consolidating and strengthening the construction of the state apparatus. On October 25, 2017, the 12th Party Central Committee issued Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW on "A number of issues on continuing to renovate and organise the apparatus towards the streamlined, effective and efficient political system.” With specific tasks and solutions, the resolution affirms the constant strengthening of the leadership of the Party, and the effectiveness and efficiency of management and administration of state agencies and local governments, while improving the quality in activities of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations and promoting the people's ownership.

The reality of over 30 years of conducting the Doi Moi (renovation) process has proved that the building and perfecting of the socialist rule-of-law state has made important achievements, marking a new stage of development in the building the state of the people, by the people and for the people. The National Assembly (NA) has made efforts to renovate and improve the quality and efficiency of its operations. The legal system continues to be improved. The NA supervisory activities have focused on resolving urgent and important issues of the country, which are of great concern to the people and public opinion. Discussing and deciding major issues by the NA has been improved and made more substantive.

The Government and relevant ministries and agencies have focused on managing and operating the macro economy and dynamically addressing important issues. In addition, the Government is paying more and more attention to the issues and difficulties of the people in their lives and production. A range of guidelines and policies by the Party on judicial reform are institutionalised in the Constitution and related laws, being seriously implemented in practice, and have created important results, contributing to the protection of the legal rights and interests of organisations and individuals and better protecting the interests of the State.

Therefore, the country's socio-economy continues to change positively, especially in the context of international and regional situations facing multiple difficulties and challenges. Currently, macroeconomics has been kept stable, inflation is under control, budget revenue has increased significantly, and the major sectors have stable development. People's living standards have been improved. The fields of culture, society, environment, administrative reform, anti-corruption, fighting wastefulness, national defence and security, and foreign affairs have achieved positive results, creating an exciting atmosphere in the whole society, contributing to strengthening the confidence of the people, the business community and both domestic and foreign investors.

However, in the process of building the socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people and for the people, there are still limitations and shortcomings that need to be further addressed. Some of them can be named as the legal system is not yet consistent; the organisation and operation of the state apparatus are still inadequate; the exercise of people's ownership is still limited; the pace of renovation of the Party's leadership on the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations’ operation is still slow; and the Party leadership capacity in some Party committees is still low.

To continue building and perfecting the rule-of-law state and the state apparatus, the people need to be placed at the centre of all activities and the spirit of serving the people should be made as the basis of such activities. It is important to continue to renovate the organisational model and the form and mode of operation of state agencies at the central and local levels in order to achieve a streamlined and efficient state apparatus to better meet the requirements in socio-economic development, national defence and security, and protection of human rights and citizens' rights.

The next key requirement is to consolidate the organisation and operation of the Government in the direction of streamlining, rationality, effectiveness, efficiency, and best meeting the requirements of building a democratic and modern administration, while expanding dialogues between the State and the people and businesses in various forms, as well as enhancing accountability and listening to the people. As such, the State and civil servants will be closer to the people, which will help the guidelines, policies and laws to be suitable to the reality. Focusing on building a contingent of high-quality cadres and civil servants with competence and professionalism is also another important task.

This year's National Day takes place in the context of complex and complicated world and regional situations that directly affect the country, creating both opportunities and challenges. In order to make the best use of opportunities and advantages and overcome difficulties and challenges, the whole country needs to unite with a spirit of high determination to promote the strength of the great national unity bloc, step up the renovation comprehensively and synchronously, and focus on improving the lives of the people. It is also necessary to resolutely and persistently struggle to firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

With the jubilant spirit of the National Day, the Vietnamese people will definitely accomplish all the goals set out and successfully build a rich, strong, democratic, fair and civilised Vietnam as the beloved Uncle Ho has always desired.

(Source: NDO)