Respect for the Constitution and law - A driver of national development

Hanoi (VNA) - General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President To Lam has emphasised that respect for the Constitution and law is both a requirement to maintain discipline and a driver of development in his article on the occasion of Vietnam Law Day 2026.

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) respectfully introduces a translation of the article.

RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND LAW – A DRIVER OF
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Prof. Dr. To Lam
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee
President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

On November 9, 1946, the first National Assembly adopted the first Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, drafted under the direct guidance of President Ho Chi Minh. Born in the context of a young independence facing existential challenges, the Constitution of the new Vietnam crystallised the nation’s will for independence, spirit of great unity and aspiration for freedom, establishing the constitutional foundation of a State in which power belongs to the people; national independence is tied to the people’s right to mastery and democratic freedoms; and state power is organised and exercised based on the Constitution. Those fundamental legal values were inherited and developed in subsequent constitutions and throughout the cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

Under the Party leadership, in recent years, the building of the socialist rule-of-law State has achieved many important results, laying the foundation for national development. Entering a new stage of development, the implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the Party’s strategic resolutions requires enhancing national governance capacity, improving institutional mechanisms and laws, clearing bottlenecks, unlocking resources, and propelling new national development drivers.

Vietnam Law Day 2026 is an occasion to raise awareness and responsibility for respecting the Constitution and law throughout the entire political system and society. When power is controlled, human and citizen rights are protected and policies are enforced consistently, the public trust in the Party and State is strengthened, and people and businesses have conditions to pool resources and uphold brainpower and creativity for national development. In that sense, respecting the Constitution and law is both a requirement to maintain discipline and a driver of development.

First, respect for the Constitution must be demonstrated in every decision and every action of agencies, organisations and those with authority. The Constitution has the highest legal effect. All legal regulations must conform to the Constitution; all public authority activities must have a basis, be within competence and be subject to control. Documents and acts that violate the Constitution and law must be detected and handled promptly and correctly within competence. The goal of development or the urgency of work cannot be used as a reason to ignore constitutionality and legality. At the same time, competent agencies must proactively amend inadequate regulations and promptly clear obstacles to development.

Resolution 27-NQ/TW on building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law State of Vietnam has clearly defined the relationship of Party leadership, State management and the people’s mastery. The Party’s leadership and governing capacity is reflected in the quality of institutionalising policies and in rollout results, bringing about practical changes in the people’s life. Party committees lead, inspect and supervise so that policies are followed correctly; state agencies fully perform their functions, authority and responsibilities; the people engage in building and supervising results. Party organisations and members operate within the framework of the Constitution and law, set an example in compliance and are subject to the people’s supervision.

State power is unified, belongs to the people, under the leadership of the Party. The exercise of legislative, executive and judicial powers must be clearly assigned, closely coordinated and effectively controlled. Authority goes with accountability; decentralisation and delegation of authority go together with capacity, resources and control mechanisms. It is necessary to determine responsibility for issuing unlawful decisions and for avoiding or delaying the performance of tasks. Personnel who are proactive, innovative and creative for the common interest must be protected by law; acts of taking advantage of innovation for personal gains, abuse of power or harassment must be strictly handled.

Respect for the Constitution also requires that human and citizen rights be guaranteed and substantively protected. Human and citizen rights may only be restricted by law in necessary cases for reasons prescribed by the Constitution. Each person’s safety, dignity and legitimate interests are values that the State has the responsibility to protect.

Second, improving the quality of law to consolidate the public trust, unlock resources and open the way for development. Resolution 66-NQ/TW requires renewing law-making and law enforcement, making law a driver of development. Improving management effectiveness must go hand in hand with expanding development opportunities; the difficulties of management agencies must not be shifted onto people and businesses. Substantively ensuring ownership rights, freedom of business and freedom of contract so that people and businesses can invest, innovate and compete equally with peace of mind.

Law must create conditions to bring science, technology and innovation into production, pool social resources, expand business opportunities and uphold integration advantages. Along with encouraging new growth models, law must ensure opportunities for studies, work and access to essential services. Social welfare, a safe and healthy living environment and fairness in enjoying development gains must be ensured by feasible regulations.

Law-making must proceed from the overall interests of the country, overcoming fragmentation by the management scope of each sector. Each policy must clarify the problem to be solved, the rights to be protected, and the impact on social groups, especially vulnerable persons; avoid creating additional barriers and unreasonable costs. Policy consultation must be substantive, with clear uptake and explanation. Control of power must begin at the stage of policy proposal, preventing corruption, group and sectional interests.

Transparent, stable law that is consistently enforced helps reduce risks and costs and nurture investment confidence. That is the basis to pool and allocate resources effectively, making law a competitive advantage of the country. Policy research must anticipate changes in reality and create room for creativity. When changing regulations, there must be transitional arrangements and protection of legitimate rights and interests. Testing mechanisms must be decided by the correct authority, with clear scope, responsibilities, risk control measures and evaluation methods for timely adjustment.

Administrative reform must help settle work quickly and conveniently, reduce compliance costs and clearly define responsibilities. Cutting procedures and shifting from pre-inspection to post-audit require clear standards, reliable information, capacity to detect and prevent risks, and responsibility to protect the people.

In global integration, law contributes to protecting sovereignty, national interests and the legitimate rights and interests of people and businesses in cross-border relations. Strictly delivering on international commitments, improving legal capacity, and proactively preventing and settling disputes are conditions to sharpen the country’s self-reliance and competitiveness.

Third, law enforcement must ensure legitimate rights and interests and deliver tangible results. Law-making and law enforcement must be closely linked to accountability for results. Agencies responsible for drafting, issuing and enforcing laws must work closely together to monitor their impact, address shortcomings in implementation, and promptly amend or propose amendments to inadequate regulations within their respective authority. Adequate human resources, detailed implementing documents and necessary conditions must be in place before a law takes effect. Heads of agencies responsible for managing specific sectors, fields and localities must be accountable for law enforcement within their assigned scope of responsibility. In the operation of the two-tier local administration system, responsibilities must be clearly defined, while people's affairs must be handled continuously and smoothly.

Obstacles must be identified by their root causes. Inappropriate regulations need to be amended; officials with limited capacity must receive further training; and resource shortages must be addressed with appropriate solutions. Matters falling within the authority of relevant agencies and supported by sufficient legal grounds must be resolved thoroughly. Issues beyond their authority must be reported together with proposed solutions, with follow-up maintained until final outcomes are achieved. For matters involving multiple agencies, a lead agency must be designated, with clear coordination responsibilities assigned. In particular, it is essential to address the situation in which all agencies report that they have fulfilled their assigned tasks while people's affairs remain unresolved or are delayed.

Digital transformation must improve governance efficiency and the quality of public services. Data exploitation and sharing must comply with the law, reduce the need for people to repeatedly provide the same information, and enable them to track the progress of their cases. The application of technology must ensure information security and protect personal data and privacy. Alongside investment in digital infrastructure, attention must also be paid to developing a contingent of legal professionals with strong expertise, integrity and a sound understanding of practical realities.

Safeguarding justice is the mission of the judicial system. It is necessary to ensure that judges and people's jurors adjudicate independently and are subject only to the law, while strictly handling any unlawful interference in judicial proceedings. People must have convenient access to mechanisms for protecting their legitimate rights and interests. Mediation and dialogue should be promoted on a voluntary and lawful basis without restricting the right to initiate legal proceedings. Court judgments and decisions that have taken legal effect must be respected and strictly enforced.

Law enforcement must go hand in hand with restoring legitimate rights and interests that have been infringed upon. Unlawful administrative decisions must be reviewed, dealt with and their consequences remedied promptly. People's feedback and petitions must be received and addressed thoroughly, with timely responses provided.
The quality of laws and the effectiveness of their enforcement must be assessed based on whether matters are resolved in accordance with the law, people's rights and interests are protected, and unreasonable costs are reduced.

Fourth, fostering a culture of respect for the law through the exemplary conduct of officials and Party members and the proactive, voluntary participation of the people. This culture is nurtured through legal awareness, public service ethics and people's experience of being treated fairly. Clear regulations, thorough explanations and fair application of the law will strengthen public trust and encourage voluntary compliance. A dedicated official and an agency that is willing to correct its mistakes can convince the public more effectively than any appeal. The responsibility of cadres and civil servants, particularly heads of agencies, to set an example must be demonstrated in their daily work. Violations must be dealt with strictly and fairly, in combination with guidance and preventive measures.

The people are active participants in the development, implementation and protection of the law. Their participation must be ensured in policy consultations, supervision, reporting shortcomings and evaluating implementation results. The Vietnam Fatherland Front, its member organisations, the press, legal experts and lawyers must promote their roles in supervision, social criticism and providing support to the people. Everyone must proactively fulfil their obligations, protect their own rights and respect the rights of others. Businesses must regard legal compliance as the foundation of their reputation, fair competition and sustainable development.

Legal dissemination and education must equip people with the knowledge of how to exercise their rights and fulfil their obligations, as well as where to turn for assistance when necessary. Policy communication should go hand in hand with dialogue and listening to public feedback so that adjustments can be made in a timely manner. The use of digital technology must be complemented by direct support for vulnerable groups and people living in disadvantage areas.

When compliance with the law is associated with ethics, civic responsibility and community values, the spirit of Vietnam Law Day will become deeply rooted in social life, shaping the way each person thinks and acts.

Respecting the Constitution and the law is both the foundation and the driving force for building a nation characterised by discipline, integrity, democracy, fairness, civilisation, development and prosperity. This is not merely a requirement of the present but also a strategic choice that will ensure Vietnam confidently advances into a new era, achieves rapid and sustainable development, and realises its aspiration to build a prosperous and happy country./.