Summary of new contents of the 2015 Law on Vietnamese Fatherland Front

1. Organizational system

The 2015 Law on Vietnamese Fatherland Front will have an entire article that stipulates the organizational system of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front from the central to local level: 

- At the central level, there are the Central Committee of Vietnamese Fatherland Front, Presidium of the Central Committee of Vietnamese Fatherland Front and the Standing Central Committee of Vietnamese Fatherland Front;

- There are the Committee of Vietnamese Fatherland Front at the provincial, district and communal level.

- At each level, there is the Standing Committee of Vietnamese Fatherland Front.

2. Relation between Vietnamese Fatherland Front and the Government, People and other organizations

In addition to further elaboration of regulations on the relation between Vietnamese Fatherland Front and the Government, the Law on Vietnamese Fatherland Front will also have definite regulations on the relation between the Fatherland Front and organizations as referred to in Article 8 and Article 9.

- Vietnamese Fatherland Front represents and protects sound and legitimate rights and interests of the People; expand and diversify forms of promoting unity among people. 

- The People are vested with rights to engage in the process of organizing and operating Vietnamese Fatherland Front; supervise operations of Vietnamese Fatherland Front to ensure that Vietnamese Fatherland Front fully observes its statutory rights and responsibilities.

- Relation between Vietnamese Fatherland Front and economic and non-business organizations is deemed as a voluntary relation which helps to meet the objective of socio-economic development and protect sound and legitimate rights and interests of the people, and construct and defend the nation.

3. Promotion and formation of national great unity 

Vietnamese Fatherland Front promotes unity among domestic and foreign Vietnamese people, irrespective of their class, social stratum, ethnic identity, religious belief, religion and past performance, by employing the following methods: 

- Raise the people’s awareness of this activity and encourage the people to support this activity. 

- Demonstrate unity and cooperation with the people’s legitimate organizations.

- Make best use of positive effects of typical persons among social classes, strata, ethnicities and religions.

- Admit and develop members of Vietnamese Fatherland Front.   

- Raise awareness among and stimulate Vietnamese expatriates to promote the community unity and give mutual support in daily life activities, and comply with laws of host countries; preserve and promote valuable national cultural identity and tradition. 

Construct the national great unity through cooperation between Vietnamese Fatherland Front and state agencies and through the cooperation or uniform actions among members of Vietnamese Fatherland Front.

4. Vietnamese Fatherland Front taking its roles in representing and protecting sound and legitimate rights and interests of the People 

- Present opinions or submissions of voters and people in the National Assembly’s meetings or the People’s Council’s meetings. 

- Collaborate in holding contact with voters for the National Assembly deputies and the People’s Council deputies.  

- Raise the people’s awareness and encourage the people to exercise their mastery powers, and implement policies and laws.

- Carry out public relation with citizens, engage in the work of handling complaints, accusations, granting amnesty, and designating a people’s defense attorney.

5. New regulations on involvement in construction of the government

In accordance with Article 23 of the 2015 Law on Vietnamese Fatherland Front, Vietnamese Fatherland Front is entitled to get involved in preventing and combating corruption and extravagance with the following contents:

- Raise the people’s awareness and encourage the people to implement laws on anti-corruption and thrift practice and anti-extravagance;

- Request relevant competent agencies, organizations or individuals to apply measures to prevent corruption and extravagance; verify corruption and extravagance cases; deal with persons committing acts of corruption and extravagance; 

- Advise competent authorities to protect and reward persons who have discovered and reported any act of corruption or extravagance.

6. Supervisory operations

Vietnamese Fatherland Front oversees implementation of policies and laws pertaining to sound and legitimate rights and interests of the People, and rights and responsibilities of Vietnamese Fatherland Front. Additional supervisory forms are allowed, including:

- Study and have insight into documents issued by competent authorities on sound and legitimate rights and interests of the People.

- Organize a supervisory team.

- Grant approval for operations of the Committee on People’s Inspection established at the communal level and the Committee on Community Investment Supervision.

7. Social criticism activities

Social criticism of Vietnamese Fatherland Front refers to judging, evaluating, giving political opinions or recommendations on any draft legislative document, scheme, proposal, program or project put forward by state bodies.

This criticism will be conducted by employing 3 methods:

- Organize social criticism conferences.

- Send draft documents subject to such criticism to relevant institutions, organizations or individuals for the purpose of obtaining opinions during the period when this social criticism takes place.

- Organize a direct dialogue between Vietnamese Fatherland Front and institutions or organizations that have their draft instruments subject to such social criticism.

The 2015 Law on Vietnamese Fatherland Front enters into force from January 1, 2016.