Building a rule of law state: A long-term career Lesson 3: Taking the people as a measure of the effectiveness and efficiency of the state apparatus

The election of National Assembly and People's Council deputies directly contributes to building the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's rule of law state of the people, by the people, for the people.

After 36 years of renovation, the construction and completion of the socialist rule of law state in our country has achieved important achievements. The documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates mentioned the initial successes: "The construction of the socialist rule of law state has made much progress, operating more effectively and efficiently; the organization of the legislative, executive and judicial apparatus continues to be perfected".

However, the Party also frankly admitted that the limitations in the process of building a socialist rule-of-law state in our country in recent times are that "some aspects have not yet well met the requirements of socio -economic development and national management in the new situation".

It is emphasized that the legal system still has some inconsistent regulations that do not meet the requirements in a timely manner. Law enforcement is not strict, discipline and national laws are still taken lightly, handling of law violations is not timely, and sanctions are not deterrent enough. Administrative reform and judicial reform have not fully met the requirements of national development.

Inheriting the viewpoints put forth from previous congresses and conferences, the 13th Party Congress continues to identify building and perfecting the Vietnamese socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people and for the people as the central task of renewing the political system.

To overcome the limitations in the process of building a socialist rule-of-law state in Vietnam as pointed out by the Party, the documents of the 13th National Party Congress have more clearly stated the orientation, tasks and solutions to build and perfect the socialist rule-of-law state in Vietnam in the coming time.

Specifically, regarding the orientation of building and perfecting the rule of law state in the 2021-2030 period, the 13th Congress document affirms the necessity of building a clean, strong, and streamlined socialist rule of law state. The document supplements the orientation of building and perfecting the rule of law state to ensure “effective and efficient operations, serving the people and for the development of the country. Strengthening publicity, transparency, and accountability”.

After more than 35 years of renovation, our country has made great strides in economic, political and social development. However, compared to the actual requirements of the renovation as well as the needs of people's lives, it has still not met to some extent.

Therefore, the 13th Congress emphasized that building a rule-of-law state must truly “operate effectively and efficiently, serve the people and develop the country”. Reality proves that if we want to develop sustainably, if we want to build a fair, democratic, civilized society, a rich people, a strong country, we cannot help but build a socialist rule-of-law state with the spirit of the rule of law, taking the goal of building a state of the people, by the people and for the people as a measure of the effectiveness and efficiency of the state apparatus.

The orientation to perfect the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's rule of law state in the coming time also requires public responsibility and transparency in all activities of the state apparatus. By promoting public responsibility, transparency, and accountability in the management and operation of the state apparatus, it is the basis for having a clean, strong apparatus that is truly for the people and for the country.

In addition to continuing to propose solutions to improve the capacity, effectiveness and efficiency of State operations as stated in the Resolution of the 12th Congress, the documents of the 13th Congress supplement and clarify a number of issues.

Specifically, regarding the construction of the legal system, the document emphasized the requirements for the completeness, timeliness, synchronization, unity, feasibility, publicity, transparency, and stability of the legal system. Determining that the legitimate rights and interests of people and businesses are the focus of promoting innovation is also one of the outstanding new points of the XIII Congress document on building and perfecting the rule of law state of Vietnam.

The socialist rule of law state must be built and operate on the basis of a democratic, progressive and feasible legal system, while ensuring the supreme position of law in social life.

With the existing limitations of the Vietnamese legal system being “not unified”, “not meeting practical requirements in a timely manner”, and in the context of building a socialist rule-of-law state of Vietnam and international integration today, the requirement for the work of perfecting the legal policy system is urgent and necessary. Integration on the basis of law, the legal system must be compatible, meeting the requirements of modern life domestically and internationally.

In innovating methods and improving the quality and effectiveness of the National Assembly's operations, the 13th Congress document added the content of "promoting democracy, the rule of law, and increasing professionalism in the organization and operations of the National Assembly."

In addition to the solution to reasonably increase the number of full-time delegates as stated in the 12th Congress document, the 13th Congress document specifically adds the solution to "reduce the number of delegates working in executive and judicial agencies".

For the Government, the XIII Congress document has an important new point when determining "continuing to innovate the organization and operation of the Government in the direction of streamlining effectiveness and efficiency, on the basis of rationally organizing multi-sectoral and multi-field ministries... Promoting decentralization, delegation of power, clearly defining responsibilities between the Government and ministries and branches; between the Government, ministries and branches and local authorities".

Judicial activities today play an extremely important role in building a socialist rule-of-law state, contributing to the development of all aspects of the country's social life. Each unjust case, each limitation and violation in judicial activities can erode people's trust in justice, affect the prestige of the Party and the State, limit the achievements of socio-economic development, and be a potential factor causing social instability.

President Ho Chi Minh affirmed that "democracy is the most precious thing of the people. After all, the judicial issue, like all other issues, at this time, is an issue of life and being human" (Ho Chi Minh, 1985, page 187).

For the first time, the Party's resolution mentioned the content of building a judicial system that ensures integrity, which is very necessary and consistent with the direction of judicial reform. This is a new step forward in the Party's thinking on building future judicial tasks.

To build and perfect the socialist rule of law state, on May 25, 2005, the Party issued Resolution No. 48-NQ/TW on the strategy for building and perfecting the Vietnamese legal system until 2010, with a vision to 2020, and Resolution No. 49-NQ/TW dated June 2, 2005 on the judicial reform strategy until 2020.

After nearly 20 years of implementing the two resolutions mentioned above, the work of building and organizing law enforcement in our country has achieved many important achievements. In the coming time, in order to continue building and perfecting the socialist rule of law state, especially in the issue of perfecting the legal system and judicial reform, the Resolution of the 13th National Congress emphasized the study and promulgation of the "strategy for building a socialist rule of law state in Vietnam until 2030". This will be a comprehensive strategy, playing a great role in the orientation of building and perfecting the socialist rule of law state in our country.

The Party Resolution also mentioned many other solutions to build and perfect the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's rule of law state, such as perfecting the organization of local governments suitable to the characteristics of rural, urban, and island areas...

Conduct a summary of the urban government pilot, focusing on building a team of cadres and civil servants with sufficient qualities and capacity to serve the people and the country's development. Closely link construction with law enforcement, reform administrative procedures; perfect the organization, streamline and rationalize focal points, eliminate intermediate levels...

Building and perfecting a socialist rule-of-law state is a difficult, challenging and long-term task, a task that runs throughout the transitional period to socialism. The content of building and perfecting a socialist rule-of-law state in Vietnam mentioned in the documents of the 13th National Party Congress is a step to continue perfecting the theoretical system on building a socialist rule-of-law state.

At the same time, it is also a part of the Party's unified viewpoint system to lead the innovation of the political system and areas of social life. Continuing to research and scientifically apply the Party's viewpoints on building and perfecting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's rule of law state is important in both awareness and action.

Viet Dong

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