Communist Review - The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is the sole party ruling and leading the cause of national reform in the direction of socialism. Therefore, it is crucial to renovate the Party’s method of leadership over the State because the State regulates the society and institutionalizes the Party's policies and guidelines.

The importance and necessity of reforming the Party’s method of leadership over the State

Since Vietnam entered the Doi Moi period, the formulation and renewal of Party's leadership approach over the State is based on the following basic characteristics: In the political system and society as a whole, the Party plays the leading role, the State manages and the people play the role of mastery. The Party leads the political system, but it is also an integral part of that political system. The Party leads the State to operate by means of Constitution and laws and is responsible for its activities. The Party does not stand above the State and law. In the State and in society, all powers belong to the people, and powers and forces are in the palm of the people’s hand. The renewal of the Party's leadership method over the State is aimed at strengthening its leadership role over the State, promoting the role of socialist rule – of - law State in Vietnam in socio-economic management as well as all aspects of social life, strengthening the role of State in maintaining and reinforcing the people's mastery, and improving democratic socialism.

The Party’s comprehensive leadership over the State is mainly reflected in the following aspects: The Party leads the State by means of platforms, strategy, orientations on major policies. It leads the State to institutionalize its guidelines into policies and regulations, to build the State apparatus, a contingent of qualified and trusted cadres and civil servants capable to accomplish assigned tasks, to effectively implement the Party’s guidelines, policies, the Constitution, laws and to supervise the State’s activities.

In the process of leading the State, the Party has made several appropriate revolutionary policies and resolutions to bring Vietnam to numerous revolutionary and historical success, especially after more than 35 years of Doi Moi.

The Party's leadership in building the State apparatus, a contingent of qualified and trusted cadres and civil servants capable to accomplish assigned tasks has made remarkable progress. Competences and responsibilities of the leading bodies from central to local levels are more clearly defined. Decentralization has been promoted in all leading agencies of CPV from the central to local levels with many renovations such as: professional working style, collective working spirit, democracy, no bureaucracy. Administrative reform has made great progress, information technology has been further enhanced, contributing to administrative simplification and reducing burdens and thus accelerating procedures for people and businesses. Moreover, due attention has been paid to training and fostering leaders of state agencies. So, the quality of cadres and civil servants has been improved.

The Party’s leadership in the implementation of guidelines, Constitution and laws has made good progress. Specifically, after the Party's resolution, the Party committees at all levels have actively directed and promptly propagated to authorities at all levels to develop action plans.

Inspection is always prioritized by the Party’s Central Committee and Party committees at all levels. In recent years, the Party and State have given consideration to inspection in various areas, especially observance of the Party's Charter, prevention and fight against corruption and wastefulness. As a results, a number of leaders at all levels, including senior officials have been imposed disciplinary sanctions, contributing to improving the people's trust in the Communist Party.

A number of solutions to renew the Party’ leadership towards the State

In order to contribute to the renewal of the Party’s leadership to the State, many solutions should be paid attention, including the main ones as follows:

Firstly, continue to institutionalize the content and method of Party’s leadership towards the State as defined in the Platform for national construction in the transitional period to socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011). Strengthen the role of Party in building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people and for the people. Lead Party committees at all levels and the whole political system to effectively implement the Resolution of the 13^th National Congress (January 2021), which clearly states that “Due attention should be paid to accelerating the Party’s building and rectification, to building a socialist rule-of-law state and a comprehensive, pure and strong political system, to renovating the Party's ruling and leadership method, to  establishing an efficient compact state apparatus, to resolutely, persistently preventing and fighting against bureaucracy, corruption, wastefulness, interest groups and the signs of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” within the political system, to building a contingent of qualified and trusted party members, cadres at all levels, especially  leaders of state agencies capable to accomplish assigned tasks, to strengthening the people's trust and attachment to the Communist Party, the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the socialist regime”. Great value should be attached to creating a pure and strong State, raising the leadership capacity and improving the national governance. Besides, a consideration should be given to complementing regulations on rights, duties, assignment mechanism, coordination and control of power among state agencies in the exercise of legislative, executive and judicial powers on the basis that state power is unified. It is necessary to continue to renew the Party's leadership method over the National Assembly so that this organ can well exercise its legislative power, supreme control and make important national decisions. The Party should pay particular attention to the eligibility of National Assembly deputies and follow closely the selection and introduction of elite party members with good moral qualities, loyalty to the Party, knowledge and prestige to be elected as deputies so that they can successfully complete their tasks. It is required to increase the number of full-time delegates which have expertise and knowledge in regulation and law, reduce the number of deputies in the executive branch, etc. Another priority should be given to renovating the Party's leadership approach to the Government so that it can well perform its functions in management, governance, building and developing a socialist-oriented market economy and actively integrating into the international community.

Regarding renewing the Party’s leadership in the judicial field through party organizations and party members working in judicial agencies, the Party guides the ways of adjudication without directing verdict. The Communist Party gives opinions on the ways of adjudication, while the specific judgement is decided by judicial authorities which are responsible for their judgements. The Party respects regulations stipulated by Constitution and law. In courts, judges and jurors have independence of adjudication and only obey the law. Currently, CPV needs to lead the effective judicial reform in the new period, build a democratic, fair, impartial, and genuine justice system. Assign relevant agencies to establish specific documents guiding policies of Party committee for public agencies at the provincial, district and commune levels for synchronous implementation nationwide in order to avoid the laxity of control authorities.

Secondly, lead the effective implementation of Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW dated May 19, 2018 of the Seventh Plenary Session of the 12^th Central Party Committee on “building a contingent of  cadres and civil servants at all levels, especially at the strategic level with required qualities, competences and prestige, capable to assume the assigned tasks”. Party leads public agencies through party organizations, party committees and party members. It is needful to continue to renovate its leadership method for promoting election democracy to elect deputies to National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels as well as officials working state agencies. The Communist Party leads elections to the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels by orienting on required criteria and reasonable rate of delegates and attaching importance to quality and promoting the mastery role of the people. It selects outstanding and exemplary party members trusted by the people to the Vietnam Fatherland Front for the list of candidates so that voters could really exercise their right to nominate meritorious political representatives which are talented and ethical. Voters have the right to supervise and interpellate officials and leading cadres, and have the right to remove and dismiss unworthy delegates according to the majority of voters. The Communist Party synchronously manages the work of cadres while promoting leadership by assigning rights and responsibilities to the head of the state apparatus and the authorities. In the current situation, it is urgent to renew the assessment method of cadres, especially heads of state agencies at all levels and branches based on the level of task accomplishment,...This evaluation must be carried out annually and periodically and publicly announced in state agencies. A due consideration must be given to establishing and issuing regulations on meritocracy (in all fields) and selecting and nominating appropriate leaders on the basis of their ability. This is considered as a breakthrough to make a great progress in leadership mindset in the process of leading socio-economic development in a socialist-oriented market economy and extensive international integration. It is crucial to properly evaluate and appoint heads of state agencies and have regulations on the responsibility of the introducer to eliminate fraudulent acts in appointing cadres and civil servants.

Thirdly, it should be a priority to reinforce the Party committee's inspection towards state agencies in implementing Party’s guidelines and resolutions to concretize Party’s resolutions. Party leads the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam by its platform, policies, personnel organization,... and by inspection and supervision. It inspects its party organizations, cadres and party members working in the state apparatus to assess their observance of the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws. This inspection is aimed at helping the State of Vietnam perform its duties better such as institutionalization of Party’s guidelines into legal documents, strategies and programs,... Furthermore, in the coming time, in line with the supervision of cadres, party members, especially heads of authorities at all levels, it is necessary to regularly inspect the implementation of Party’s resolutions, periodically review and evaluate the results and effectiveness of each resolution implementation and each decision made by the Party’s Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Party’s Central Committee, thereby promptly rewarding organizations and party members for their performances and criticizing and punishing party organizations and party members for their inefficiency and discipline breach.

Fourthly, renew the Party’s leadership approach in propaganda and mobilization of party members, cadres and civil servants; promote the people's mastery when participating in the supervision and control of state power. The Communist Party leads the State of Vietnam by ideological work consisting of training of cadres and civil servants within the state apparatus in order to enhance their political mettle, moral, lifestyle, sense of responsibility.  At the same time, it is compulsory to propagate and educate the people to obey the Constitution and laws, implement state plans and actively participate in building a pure and strong Vietnamese State. An importance should be attached to mobilizing Party members in state agencies to effectively implement Regulation No. 08-QD/TW dated October 25, 2018 of the 12^th Party’s Central Committee on “Duties to set an example of cadres and party members, first of all members of the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Party’s Central Committee”.

Party committees at all levels must renovate their leadership method over the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations so that they can both perform well their function of supervising state agencies and effectively mobilizing their members to well observe guidelines, policies and laws to better serve the people. The Communist Party needs to lead the State to supplement specific mechanisms and processes so that the people can effectively supervise and control the power of state agencies and cadres, party members working for public agencies. In addition, it is essential to promote the responsibility of the people in developing standardised legal documents. Some important documents related to the rights and duties of Vietnamese citizens need to be put to a referendum. State agencies must well enforce the legislation on reception of citizens, hold dialogues with them, and promptly and lawfully settle their petitions, complaints. For the next stage, party committees must regularly inspect and evaluate the efficiency of above works in order to draw lessons and experiences so that they could promote the people's mastery in building the socialist rule of -law State in Vietnam.

This article was published in the Communist Review No. 960 (February 2021)