Under the glorious banner of the Party

The streets are adorned with flags and flowers during important national moments.

The banner that rallyes strength

The hammer and sickle flag is not only a symbol of the proletariat's strength, but also represents the strength of patriotism, solidarity, and the righteous spirit of the peace-loving Vietnamese people. Hidden beneath the vibrant colors of this flag is the truth of the era, discovered by Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh , the outstanding son of the nation: “Our Party always stands firmly on the proletarian class standpoint, absolutely loyal to the interests of the class and the people, knowing how to apply Marxist-Leninist theory to the actual situation of our country and formulating correct policies and guidelines.” At the same time, this truth has been verified by history: “The red flag of the Party shines brightly like the rising sun, tearing through the darkness, illuminating the path and guiding our people to steadfastly advance on the path to victory in the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal revolution.” Therefore, the Party's flag represents the character, spirit, intellect, honor, and the ability to rally the great strength of the entire Vietnamese nation.

Led under the glorious banner of the Party, our nation has overcome countless harsh challenges and achieved great feats. In the struggle to protect national independence and unity, "Our Party has always upheld the banner of patriotism and socialism, resolutely leading the entire people in the struggle to build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam, contributing to the protection of peace in Southeast Asia and the world ." And so, from a country whose name was erased from the world map, this small nation rose up to drive out the most powerful foreign invaders. These glorious victories "have elevated our country and our people to the heights of a new era, an era of triumph for lofty ideals: national independence, democracy, and socialism."

In times of peace and reconstruction, under the leadership of the Party, our nation has continued to overcome countless ups and downs, gradually escaping from the "development gap." With nearly 40 years of reform, the country has made a spectacular leap forward, from being among the poorest countries to ranking 32nd in the world with an estimated GDP of over 510 billion USD in 2025; GDP per capita reaching approximately 5,000 USD, joining the group of upper-middle-income countries, and receiving high praise from many prestigious international organizations... This is a journey of steadfastness, perseverance, effort, determination, and a spirit of readiness to sacrifice, to leverage strengths and build the foundation, potential, position, and prestige of the nation as it is today.

Perhaps 96 years is just a dot on the chronicle of thousands of years of nation-building and national defense. However, all that is greatest and most worthy of our nation's pride has been distilled in nearly a century since "our generation had the Party." Therefore, based on theoretical and practical foundations, we can proudly affirm: "Our Party is truly great!"

The banner that leads the way to the future.

The essence of Vietnam's political system is fully and profoundly expressed through the mechanism of "Party leadership, State management, and People's mastery." This mechanism also defines the relationship between the ruling Party; the rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, and for the people; and affirms the role and status of the people as masters in the process of building and developing socialist democracy. The "soul" of this mechanism is the sole and comprehensive leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam over the State and society.

"The Party leads the State and society" is a statement with both broad and profound meaning: the Party sets forth the directions for reform, initiates the process of building a socialist rule of law state, and promotes the people's right to self-governance. Through their political and social organizations, the people have increasingly exercised their right to self-governance, participating in the management of the State and society... And the great achievements our nation has attained over nearly a century under the Party's leadership are vivid evidence of the necessity and correctness of this statement. Among these, the political event of profound significance, becoming a highly convincing example, is the general election.

Under the glorious banner of the Party

Elections are a way for the people to exercise their right to self-governance.

From the very moment the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was established, under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, our people exercised their right to self-governance through the historic general election of 1946. Electing elected bodies was the first and most important requirement for our country to have "a democratic constitution." This is of paramount importance because the constitution is an entity closely linked to the democratic system. A society without a constitution will not allow its citizens to enjoy true freedom and democracy. Therefore, when entrusted by the nation with the responsibility of drafting the first Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the First National Assembly drafted a constitution with historically significant provisions based on fundamental principles: national unity, without distinction of race, gender, class, or religion; guaranteeing democratic freedoms; and implementing a strong and wise government of the people.

From this foundational Constitution, a principle has become the guiding light for the people's exercise of their right to self-governance: "to implement a strong and wise government of the people." The birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam marked an unprecedented turning point: from a "subject society" to a "civil society." Our people, from a state of double oppression under colonialism and feudalism, became citizens of a democratic country where state power belongs to the people. However, to ensure the smooth functioning of this "civil society," while remnants of the old regime cannot be completely eradicated, the rule of law must be upheld more than ever.

The rule of law is understood as a method of social organization where law plays a dominant role and regulates all subjects in society. In other words, the core essence of a rule of law is to incorporate the spirit of constitutional and legal supremacy into the process of social management. Without governing the state through law, there will be abuse of power and violations of democratic rights; without governing society through law, citizens will engage in actions that infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of other citizens and the community as a whole.

Emphasizing the role of the rule of law, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed, "A hundred things must be governed by the divine power of the rule of law." Some argue that President Ho Chi Minh elevated the rule of law to the level of "divine power" to emphasize the supreme position and authority of law – a law that is just and natural. In this context, he considered the constitution the soul of the rule of law, the most important tool for establishing and defining rights. Therefore, along with prioritizing education and raising socialist morality, the creation of the Constitution provided the legal basis for governing the country through law.

To build a society governed by the rule of law, a state governed by the rule of law must be established as its foundation. A strong state is one that is effective and operates within the framework of the law. Throughout the revolutionary periods and in response to practical demands, the model of the socialist rule of law in Vietnam, operating under the mechanism of "Party leadership, State management, and people's ownership," has become increasingly perfected, making a significant contribution to the great and historically significant achievements of the cause of renovation, national construction, and defense.

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The country has been and is experiencing momentous historical moments. The 14th National Congress of the Party – a congress of momentous decisions and strategic vision – is expected to lead our nation forward in this era of progress. To steer the ship of the nation through the unpredictable waves of the times, the helmsman must possess unwavering resolve and steadfastness; a truly powerful engine must be built; and at the same time, it must be continuously fueled to operate smoothly and efficiently. All these elements are unified and fully expressed through the continued building and perfecting of the socialist rule of law state of Vietnam, of the people, by the people, and for the people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Therefore, from the success of the 14th National Congress of the Party, to the success of the 16th National Assembly elections and the elections of People's Council representatives at all levels for the 2026-2031 term – where each voter's ballot represents the strength, will, belief, expectations, and commitment of each Vietnamese citizen – will be the foundation of internal strength and power to cultivate a prosperous future for the nation.

Text and photos: Le Dung

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/duoi-co-dang-nbsp-quang-vinh-281614.htm