Overcoming limitations in the process of taking and casting votes of confidence.

On the morning of June 6th, National Assembly delegates heard the presentation and the verification report on amending and supplementing Resolution 35/2012/QH13 of the National Assembly on taking votes of confidence and no-confidence votes for those holding positions elected or approved by the National Assembly and People's Councils.

National Assembly representative Tran Minh Dieu from Quang Binh province delivers a speech at the session. Photo: VNA.

This is an extremely important issue aimed at concretizing the Party's policies, the provisions of the Constitution and laws, and the development requirements of our country in the new period. Resolution 35 has been reviewed and evaluated by the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, drawing lessons learned, and has received the attention of a large number of public opinion and voters nationwide.

The confidence vote process achieved its intended purpose and requirements.

In accordance with the National Assembly's Resolution, at its 5th session, the 13th National Assembly held a vote of confidence for 47 individuals holding positions elected or approved by the National Assembly. Provincial, district, and commune-level People's Councils also conducted votes of confidence.

Overall, the confidence vote process achieved its objectives and requirements, was closely supervised, conducted seriously, cautiously, objectively, and in accordance with the law, and received widespread attention, support, and approval from officials and the public.

The results of the confidence vote accurately reflect the level of trust in each individual at the time of the vote; they have a practical effect on those being voted on, helping them to self-regulate in fulfilling their assigned responsibilities and duties, and to cultivate their political qualities, ethics, and lifestyle. This is truly an important information channel for competent agencies and organizations to consider the level of trust and evaluate officials more accurately.

However, the report of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly clearly states that, because this is the first time the National Assembly and People's Councils have organized a vote of confidence, and there is no precedent, the process is being carried out while learning from experience, so the regulations and the implementation process inevitably have limitations and difficulties.

The proposal to review, amend, and supplement Resolution No. 35 focuses primarily on the subjects of confidence votes; the timing of confidence votes; the evaluation criteria in confidence votes; the consequences for those receiving a "low confidence" rating; and to supplement and clarify some points regarding the process and procedures for conducting and casting confidence votes.

Maintain the target audience and the level of trustworthiness.

The body reviewing the draft of the amended Resolution 35 - the National Assembly's Law Committee - agreed to maintain the scope of those subject to confidence votes in the National Assembly and People's Councils as stipulated in Resolution 35.

The Legal Committee agreed with the proposal to amend the timeframe and timing of the confidence vote as in the draft Resolution, which is to hold a confidence vote once in the third year of each term, except for the 2011-2016 term, which will continue to be held at the end-of-year session in 2014.

The regulation requiring a vote of confidence once every term ensures a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating officials, while also giving officials sufficient time to demonstrate their abilities and qualifications, and allowing competent authorities to prepare for adjustments or replacements when necessary.

The Legal Committee agreed to continue stipulating three levels of confidence assessment for confidence votes as stipulated in Resolution No. 35: "high confidence," "confidence," and "low confidence."

The establishment of these three levels ensures prudence in personnel work and is consistent with the characteristics of personnel work in our country. The reviewing body believes that if a person holding a position elected or approved by the National Assembly or People's Council commits errors, shortcomings, violations of law, or violations of ethics and lifestyle, then National Assembly representatives, People's Council representatives, or other competent agencies and organizations have the right to propose that the National Assembly or People's Council hold a vote of no confidence to consider the responsibility of these individuals.

Regarding the consequences for individuals who receive a "low confidence" rating from the National Assembly or People's Councils, according to the report of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, if more than half of the total number of National Assembly deputies or People's Council deputies rate the individual as having "low confidence," they may resign. If more than half but less than two-thirds of the total number of National Assembly deputies or People's Council deputies rate the individual as having "low confidence," the Standing Committee of the National Assembly shall submit a motion to the National Assembly, or the Standing Committee of the People's Council shall submit a motion to the People's Council for a confidence vote at the next session; if two-thirds or more of the total number of National Assembly deputies or People's Council deputies rate the individual as having "low confidence," the Standing Committee of the National Assembly shall submit a motion to the National Assembly, or the Standing Committee of the People's Council shall submit a motion to the People's Council for a confidence vote at that session.

Regarding the report of the person being subjected to the confidence vote, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly believes that the following contents need to be clearly added: Results of performing duties and powers; moral qualities and lifestyle; limitations, shortcomings and their causes; and directions for overcoming them.

Also this morning, the National Assembly discussed in the plenary session the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Vocational Training.

According to Vietnam+