Vietnam Legislators Propose No Referenda for Sensitive Issues

nguyen sinh hung

Based on the result of referendum, the NA will make decision on the majority, said NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

The communist-ruled Vietnam has yet to have referendum since the country’s establishment in 1975.

By Vu Quoc Ngu | May 13, 2015

Some Vietnamese legislators have proposed that no referenda would be held for sensitive issues in the draft law on referendum which is being discussed by the Standing Committee of Vietnam’s National Assembly (NA), state media reported.

Speaking at the 38th session of the committee, Ksor Phuoc, chairman of the NA’s Council of Ethnic Affairs, and Phung Quoc Hien, head of the NA’s Committee on Finance and State Budget said the issues on the country’s sovereignty and the leading role of the ruling communist party will not be subject to the referendum.

In the country’s Constitution adopted by the NA in 2013 states that the communist party is the leading political force in Vietnam.

NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu proposed referenda on issues related to the Constitution and other important issues under the power of the parliament.

The NA Standing Committee, the president, the government or one third of the total number of legislators at least will have right to propose referendum, Luu suggested.

Based on the result of referendum, the NA will make decision on the majority, said NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

The communist-ruled Vietnam has yet to have referendum since the country’s establishment in 1975.

Most of the members of the 497-person parliament are communists.