(VOVworld) – Vietnam’s National Assembly is working to meet international parliamentary standards. At the 8th session of the 13th National Assembly, several deputies recommended ways to improve the efficiency of the National Assembly to deserve its status as representative of the people’s will and the highest state agency and meet global parliamentary standards.
The deputies discussed the role and supervisory function of NA deputies and delegations, the deputy’s right to submit draft laws, the increase of number of full-time deputies, and when to meet with voters.
Increasing the number of full-time deputies
In the 13th National Assembly, 18.2% of deputies at the central level and 12.6% at the local level are full-time. In order to improve NA performance, full-time deputies should be at least 35% of NA deputies. Pham Xuan Truong is a deputy from Thai Binh province. “I suggest we appoint at least two people, including the head or the deputy head of each delegation, to be full-time deputies. This will ensure regular action by the delegation and increase the number of full-time deputies locally. And it will increase the time available to meet voters and collect their opinions and expand the NA’s permanent, direct supervisory work.”
The right to submit draft laws
Legislative work is the main task of a parliament. Vietnam’s National Assembly has regularly improved its legislative work to build a legal system to manage all social aspects. The 2013 Constitution has promoted the independence and creativity of each individual deputy. It’s a trend which matches Vietnamese and internationals political evolution. Nguyen Thi Hong Ha, a deputy from Hanoi, said: “It’s necessary to define who consults the NA deputies and what organization helps the deputies develop and submit draft laws, ordinances, and legal recommendations.”
Enhancing the supervisory role of NA deputies and delegations
NA deputy delegations organize activities of NA deputies, including meeting with voters, discussing draft laws, ordinances, and other legal projects, and assigning NA deputies to carry out their supervisory tasks locally. A number of deputies have suggested that the NA clarify the supervisory role of NA deputy delegations. Pham Duc Chau, a deputy from Quang Tri, said: “I suggest that the NA deputy delegation organize the deputies so that they can exercise their supervisory role. We need to supplement regulations on the supervisory rights and obligations of NA deputies. The deputies can supervise individually or with the NA deputy delegation.”
Increasing time to meet with voters
The NA deputies represent the people in exercising state power in the National Assembly. In order to improve the performance of the deputies and the National Assembly, it’s important to define the amount of time deputies meet with voters each term. Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, a deputy from Ho Chi Minh city, said: “Voters want deputies to spend more time on NA work and meet regularly with voters to listen to their aspirations. A regulation should fix the amount of time a deputy must spend meeting with voters.”
A global report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union said democracy cannot exist without a parliament. The Vietnamese National Assembly has reformed itself to meet international parliamentary standards to build a law-governed state of the people, by the people, and for the people.