Duties and powers of the President

Accordingly, the President is the head of State, representing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in domestic and foreign affairs.

The President is elected by the National Assembly from among its members; he is responsible and reports to the National Assembly. The President's term of office follows that of the National Assembly. When the National Assembly's term expires, the President continues to serve until the new National Assembly elects a new President.

The President has the following duties and powers:

Promulgate the Constitution, laws and ordinances; request the National Assembly Standing Committee to review the ordinance within ten days from the date the ordinance is passed. If the ordinance is still approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee but the President still disagrees, the President shall submit it to the National Assembly for decision at the nearest session;

Propose to the National Assembly to elect, dismiss, or remove the Vice President and the Prime Minister; based on resolutions of the National Assembly, appoint, dismiss, or remove Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, and other members of the Government;

Propose to the National Assembly to elect, dismiss, or remove the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court and the Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme People's Procuracy; based on resolutions of the National Assembly, appoint, dismiss, or remove judges of the Supreme People's Court; appoint, dismiss, or remove Deputy Chief Justices of the Supreme People's Court, judges of other courts, Deputy Chief Prosecutors, and Prosecutors of the Supreme People's Procuracy; decide on special amnesty; based on resolutions of the National Assembly, promulgate amnesty decisions;

Decision to award medals, state prizes, state honorary titles; decision to grant naturalization, renunciation of nationality, return to nationality or strip Vietnamese nationality;

To command the people's armed forces, hold the position of Chairman of the National Defense and Security Council, decide to confer, promote, demote, or strip the military ranks of generals, rear admirals, vice admirals, and naval admirals; to appoint, dismiss, or remove the Chief of the General Staff and Director of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army; based on resolutions of the National Assembly or the National Assembly Standing Committee, to announce or abolish decisions declaring a state of war; based on resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, to order general mobilization or partial mobilization, to announce or abolish a state of emergency; in cases where the National Assembly Standing Committee cannot meet, to announce or abolish a state of emergency nationwide or in each locality;

Receive foreign ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary; based on resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, appoint and dismiss; decide to send or recall ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; confer ambassadorial titles and ranks; decide to negotiate and sign international treaties on behalf of the State; submit to the National Assembly for ratification, decide to join or terminate the validity of international treaties specified in Clause 14, Article 70; decide to ratify, join or terminate the validity of other international treaties on behalf of the State.

The President has the right to attend meetings of the National Assembly Standing Committee and meetings of the Government; has the right to request the Government to discuss issues that the President deems necessary to perform the duties and powers of the President. The President issues orders and decisions to perform his duties and powers.

When the President is unable to perform his duties for a long period of time, the Vice President shall act as President. In the event of a vacancy of the Presidency, the Vice President shall act as President until the National Assembly elects a new President.