Constitution (1992, 2001)

Preamble

Through the millennia of their history the Vietnamese people have worked hard and creatively and fought valiantly to build and safeguard their country, in the course of which the nation’s tradition of unity, humanity and of staunch and indomitable struggle has been forged and its cultural heritage built and nurtured.

Since 1930, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam founded and forged by President Ho Chi Minh, our people have undertaken a protracted and arduous revolutionary struggle that led to the successful August Revolution and the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on 2nd September 1945. Over the decades that followed, our multi-ethnic nation fought continuously and, with the precious assistance of friends across the world, especially of the socialist and neighbouring countries, achieved glorious victories, especially in the historic Dien Bien Phu and Ho Chi Minh campaigns, defeating the two colonialist and imperialist wars of aggression, liberating and reunifying their homeland, and completing the people’s national democratic revolution. On July 2nd, 1976 the National Assembly of reunified Vietnam decided to change the name of the country to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; the whole country entered the period of transition to socialism, of resolute endeavour to build up the country, staunch defence of the homeland as well as discharge of international obligations.

Through successive periods of war of resistance and nation-building, Vietnam has adopted the 1946 Constitution, the 1959 Constitution and the 1980 Constitution.

Since 1986 our people have carried out a process of all-round reform and renewal initiated by the Sixth Party Congress and achieved very important initial accomplishments. The National Assembly has decided to revise the 1980 Constitution so as to meet the exigencies of the new circumstances and tasks.

The present Constitution determines Vietnam’s political economic, socio-cultural, military and security system, the basic rights and obligations of Vietnamese citizens, the structure, organising and operating principles of State offices; and institutionalises the inner workings of the set up wherein the people are masters, the State provides management and the Party leadership.

In the light of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought, implementing the Political Program for National Construction during the transitional period to socialism, the Vietnamese people pledge to bring into full play their traditional patriotism, unite as one, uphold the spirit of self-resilience in building the country, pursue a foreign policy of independence, sovereignty, peace, friendship and co-operation with all countries in the world, scrupulously abide by the Constitution, and forge ahead in the cause of reform and renewal, and of building and safeguarding their homeland.

The Constitution contains 12 Chapters and 147 Articles.

The Chapters cover:

1. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam – the Political System
2.  The Economic System
3.  Culture, Education, Science and Technology
4. Defence of the Vietnamese Socialist Homeland
5. Basic Rights and Obligations of Citizens
6. The National Assembly
7. The President of the State
8. The Government
9. People’s Councils and People’s Committees
10. People’s Court and People’s Inspectorate
11. The National Flag, National Emblem, National Anthem, National Capital and National Day
12.  Legal Force of the Constitution and Procedure for Amending the Constitution

VietNam-Constitution-1992-2001-eng (full text in English, PDF)