The National Assembly is the highest representative organ of the people and the highest organ of State power of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The National Assembly is the only organ with constitutional and legislative powers.

The National Assembly shall decide the fundamental domestic and foreign policies,the socio-economic tasks, the country's national - defence and security issues, the essential principles governing the organization and activity of the State machinery, the social relations and the activities of the citizen.

The National Assembly shall exercise supreme control over all activities of the State.

The National Assembly has the following obligations and powers:

* To make and amend the Constitution;to make and amend laws; to work out a programme for making laws and decree-laws;

 

* To exercise supreme control over conformity to the Constitution, the law and the resolutions of the National Assembly; to examine the reports of the country's President, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the Government, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Office of Procuracy.

 

* To decide the country's plan for socio - economic development;

 

* To decide the national financial and monetary policies; to decide the draft State budget and budgetary appropriations; to approve the accounts of the State budget; to establish, change, or abolish taxes;

 

* To decide the nationalities policy of the State;

 

* To regulate the organization and activity of the National Assembly, the country's President, the Government, the People's Court,the People's Office of Procuracy and the local administrations.

 

* To elect, release from duty, remove from office the country's President and Vice-President, the Chairman of the National Assembly, the Vice - Chairman and members of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, the President of the Supreme People's Court, the Head of the Supreme People's Office of Procuracy; to sanction the proposals of the country's President on the establishment of the Council of National Defence and Security ; to sanction the proposals of the Prime Minister on the appointment, release from duty and removal from office of the Deputy Prime ministers, Cabinet Ministers and other members of the Government;

 

* To set up or suppress government ministries and government organs of ministerial rank; to establish, merge, divide, or adjust the boundaries of provinces and cities under direct central rule; to set up or disband special administrative-economic units;

 

* To abrogate all formal written documents issued by the country's President, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the Government, the Prime Minister, the Supreme People's Court,and the Supreme People's Office of Procuracy, that run counter to the Constitution, the law, resolutions taken by the National Assembly;

 

* To proclaim an amnesty;

 

* To institute titles and ranks in the people's armed forces, in the diplomatic service and other State titles and ranks; to institute medals, badges and State honours and distinctions;

 

* To decide issues of war and peace; to proclaim a state of emergency and other special measures aimed at ensuring national defence and security;

 

* To decide fundamental policies in external relations; to ratify or annual international agreements that have been signed or participated in on the proposal of the country's President;

 

* To hold a referendum.

The duration of each National Assembly is five years. Two months before the end of its tenure, a new National Assembly shall have been elected. The electoral procedure and the number of members of the National Assembly shall be established by law. In special cases, with the approval of at least two thirds of its members, the National Assembly can either reduce or prolong its period of tenure. The National Assembly shall hold two sessions each year, to be convened by its Standing Committee.

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