LAW

ON VIETNAM FATHERLAND FRONT

(No. 14/1999/QH10 of June 12, 1999)

In order to enhance the role of Vietnam Fatherland Front in the cause of national renewal, contribute to exercising the socialist democracy, consolidate the cohesive relationship between the people and the Party as well as the State, and bring into full play the patriotism and great solidarity tradition of the entire people - a factor decisive for the Vietnamese revolution’s victory;

Inheriting the historic role of the National United Front founded and led by the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh;

Pursuant to the 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

This Law prescribes for the Vietnam Fatherland Front,

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Vietnam Fatherland Front in the political system

1. Vietnam Fatherland Front is a political coalition organization, a voluntary union of political organizations, socio-political organizations, social organizations and individuals representing all classes, social strata, ethnic groups, religions and overseas Vietnamese.

2. Vietnam Fatherland Front constitutes a part of the political system of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, led by the Communist Party of Vietnam; and constitutes a political base of the people’s administration, a place where the people express their will and aspirations, the entire people’s great solidarity bloc is built up, the people’s mastery is brought into full play, where its members hold consultative meetings, and coordinate and unify their actions, thus contributing to the firm maintenance of national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and successfully carrying out the cause of national industrialization and modernization, so as to achieve the objective of a prosperous people, a strong country and an equitable and civilized society.

Article 2. The tasks of Vietnam Fatherland Front

Vietnam Fatherland Front is tasked to rally the people and build up the entire people’s great solidarity bloc, enhance the political and moral unity among the people, propagate and mobilize the people to bring into full play their mastery, materialize the Party’s guidelines and policies, strictly abide by the Constitution and laws, supervise the operations of the State agencies, people-elected delegates, as well as State officials and employees; gather the people’s opinions and petitions, then report and propose them to the Party and the State; take part in building and consolidating the people’s administration; join the State in caring for and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the people; and take part in developing the friendship and cooperation between the Vietnamese people and the people of other countries in the region and the world.

Article 3. The principles of organization and operation of Vietnam Fatherland Front

Vietnam Fatherland Front is organized and operates under its own statute and in compliance with the Constitution and laws.

The organization and operation of Vietnam Fatherland Front shall comply with the principles of voluntariness, democratic consultation, coordinated and unified actions.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee at each level is the executive body of the Vietnam Fatherland Front organization of the same level, nominated by the Congress of delegates of the Vietnam Fatherland Front organization at such level through consultative meetings, and responsible for organizing the performance of the tasks of Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Article 4. Members of Vietnam Fatherland Front

The members of Vietnam Fatherland Front are organizations and individuals specified in Clause 1, Article 1 of this Law.

When coordinating and unifying their actions, the members of Vietnam Fatherland Front shall have to abide by Vietnam Fatherland Front’s statute; but at the same time, the member organizations of Vietnam Fatherland Front still retain their independence.

Article 5. The relationship between Vietnam Fatherland Front and the State

1. The relationship between Vietnam Fatherland Front and the State is the relationship of coordination for the performance and exercise of tasks and powers according to the provisions of the Constitution and laws.

2. The coordination relationship between Vietnam Fatherland Front and the State shall be effected under the working coordination regulations promulgated by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees and the concerned State agencies at each level.

3. The State creates conditions for the effective operation of Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Chapter II

RESPONSIBILITIES AND RIGHTS OF VIETNAM FATHERLAND FRONT

Article 6. Rallying the entire people in a great solidarity bloc

1. Vietnam Fatherland Front develops diversified forms of activities and patriotic movements in order to rally and unite all Vietnamese in the country and overseas, irrespective of their classes, social strata, ethnic groups, beliefs, religions and past, aiming to mobilize all resources for the construction and defense of the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

2. Vietnam Fatherland Front promotes the activeness of the prominent individuals in various social classes, strata, ethnic groups and religions in order to mobilize the people to fulfill the political, socio-economic, national security and defense and external affairs tasks of the State.

3. Vietnam Fatherland Front takes part in the propagandization and mobilization of overseas Vietnamese to enhance their community unity, to help one another in daily life, to preserve the national cultural identity and fine traditions, maintain their close relations with their families and native land, and contribute to the construction of their native land and country.

Article 7. Propagandizing and mobilizing the people to exercise their mastery and observe the policies and laws

Vietnam Fatherland Front shall propagandize and mobilize the people to exercise their mastery and observe the policies and laws with the following contents:

1. To take part in the propagandization and mobilization of the people to materialize the Party’s guidelines and policies and observe the State’s laws;

2. To coordinate with and join the State agencies in organizing campaigns and patriotic emulation movements, mobilizing the people to unite with and help one another to develop economy and build cultural life, solving the social problems, building the entire-people defense, and in maintaining the political security and social order and safety;

3. To join the People’s Councils and People’s Committees of the same level in organizing and mobilizing the people to exercise democracy in localities, guiding people to elaborate the village conventions and rules on the self-management way of life in hamlets, villages, mountain villages, urban residence groups and other population communities at grassroots level in conformity with laws, thus contributing to building and protecting the people’s administration;

4. To take part in the conciliation activities in localities according to the provisions of the legislation on conciliation;

5. To gather and study the people’s opinions and aspirations, then report and propose them to the Party and the State.

Article 8. Taking part in the electoral work

Within its function, tasks and powers and under the provisions of the legislation on election, Vietnam Fatherland Front shall organize the consultative conferences to select and recommend candidates for the election of deputies to the National Assembly or the People’s Councils; join the organizations in charge of election; coordinate with the concerned State agencies in organizing conferences of voters in their residence places as well as meetings between voters and candidates; take part in the propagandization and mobilization of voters to observe the legislation on election; and take part in the supervision of the election of deputies to the National Assembly or deputies to the People’s Councils.

Article 9. Taking part in the legislative work

Vietnam Fatherland Front shall take part in the legislative work with the following contents:

1. To propose to the National Assembly Standing Committee and the Government the draft programs for elaborating laws and ordinances;

2. To submit to the National Assembly and its Standing Committee bills and draft ordinances;

3. To join the competent State agencies in promulgating resolutions and joint circulars to guide the implementation of law provisions on Vietnam Fatherland Front’s responsibility to participate in the management of the State;

4. To contribute its comments on bills, draft ordinances, resolutions, decrees and other draft legal documents.

Article 10. Taking part in the legal proceedings, selection of judges and recommendation of people’s assessors to the people’s courts

Vietnam Fatherland Front has the right and responsibility to take part in legal proceedings, participate in the Judge Selection Council, and recommend qualified persons to be elected or appointed as assessors of the people’s courts according to provisions of law.

Article 11. Attending meetings of the National Assembly Standing Committee and the Government, sessions of the People’s Councils and meetings of the People’s Committees

1. The President of the Central Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front shall be invited to attend meetings of the National Assembly Standing Committee and the Government when relevant matters are put to discussion.

The presidents of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees in the localities shall be invited to attend in sessions of the People’s Councils as well as meetings of the People’s Committees of the same level when relevant matters are put to discussion.

2. At the regular meetings of the People’s Councils, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees of the same levels shall brief on their participation in building the local administrations; make proposals and petitions to the People’s Councils and People’s Committees on necessary matters.

The State agencies shall have to consider and reply the petitions of Vietnam Fatherland Front according to provisions of law.

Article 12. Supervising activities

1. The supervision by Vietnam Fatherland Front is the people’s supervision in support of the State’s supervision, examination and inspection work, which aims to contribute to safeguarding and building the Socialist Republic of Vietnam into a clean and strong one operating effectively and efficiently, and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the people.

Vietnam Fatherland Front supervises the operations of the State agencies, people-elected delegates, State officials and employees according to provisions of law.

2. Supervising activities of Vietnam Fatherland Front shall be carried out in the following forms:

a) Mobilizing the people to exercise their rights to supervision;

b) Joining the State power bodies in the supervising activities;

c) Through its activities, gathering and forwarding comments made by the people and its members to competent State agencies to request the latter to commend and reward good persons and good deeds, to consider, solve and handle cases of law offenses.

The heads of the agencies and organizations shall have to create conditions for Vietnam Fatherland Front to perform the supervising task. When receiving the petitions from the Front, the heads of the agencies and organizations shall have to consider and reply within a time limit prescribed by law.

Article 13. The people’s external activities

Vietnam Fatherland Front shall carry out and expand the people’s external activities in the region and around the world along the external affair guidelines of the Party and the State, thus contributing to enhancing the friendship among nations for peace, cooperation and development.

Chapter III

GUARANTIES FOR THE OPERATION OF VIETNAM FATHERLAND FRONT

Article 14. Assisting apparatus

Vietnam Fatherland Front has an assisting apparatus. The organizational structure and staff of the assisting apparatuses of the Vietnam Fatherland Front organizations at all levels shall be defined by the competent agencies.

Vietnam Fatherland Front shall have to foster and raise the capability and qualifications of the Front’s cadres.

Article 15. The responsibilities of relevant agencies and organizations

1. The heads of the relevant agencies and organizations shall have to:

a) Create conditions for State officials and employees to perform their tasks when they are appointed to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee or assigned to coordinate with Vietnam Fatherland Front in their work.

b) Provide necessary information when it is so requested by Vietnam Fatherland Front so that the latter performs its tasks prescribed by law.

2. The agencies and organizations shall, within their respective functions tasks and powers, have to coordinate with Vietnam Fatherland Front in carrying out the campaigns initiated by the latter or executing programs and/or projects assigned to the Front.

Article 16. The operating fund and property of Vietnam Fatherland Front

1. The operating fund of Vietnam Fatherland Front shall be allocated by the State budget according to provisions of law.

2. Vietnam Fatherland Front shall be entitled to receive, manage and use according to the provisions of law the property assigned by the State to it as well as property donated by Vietnamese or foreign organizations and/or individuals.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 17. The effect of this Law

This Law takes effect after its public announcement.

All stipulations related to Vietnam Fatherland Front which are contrary to this Law are now annulled.

Article 18. Implementation guidance

The Government and the Central Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front shall, within their respective functions, tasks and powers, guide the implementation of this Law.

This Law was passed on June 12, 1999 by the 10th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at its 5th session.