Political Power Delegation and Accountability in Vietnam

Abstract

The political system inVietnam follows the Soviet style and remains also unchanged despite the country’s impressive socio-economic development achievements over the last 35 years. As a result, the political system lags behind the socio-economic reform process and hinders the country’s growth potentials. In addition, there has been serious abuse of power and corruption cases, which show critical gaps in power check and balance within the system.

The ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is well aware of the situation and determines to reform the country’s political system. The political power check and balance is a core task of this reform process. This aims not only to combat the abuse of power, corruption and wrongdoings but also maintain the CPV’s legitimacy and its leadership in the country in the long-term.

Key challenges include: (i) no separation of power across legislative, executive and judiciariary branches; (ii) overlapped and unclear role, functions and tasks of organizations in the political system; (iii) missing mechanisms for external, cross and bottom up check and balance on political system, particularly the Party; (iv) limited access and participation by the people, civil society and media in the political power control process.

It is therefore important to address the above-mentioned gaps in political power delegation and accountability by: First, strengthening the external control of the political system’s performance by the people, civil society and media. Second, review and redesign the internal checks and balances mechanisms across Party, state and mass organizations.