National Assembly of Vietnam

The National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (N.A.; Vietnamese: Quốc hội nước Cộng hoà xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam) is the unicameral highest organ of state power of Vietnam. The National Assembly is the only branch of government in Vietnam and, in accordance with the principle of unified power, all state organs are subservient to it.

The National Assembly, a 500-delegate unicameral body elected to a five-year term, meets in the session twice a year. The assembly appoints the president (head of state), the prime minister (head of government), the chief justice of the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam, the head of the Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam (or 'Supreme People's Office of Supervision and Inspection'), and the 21-member Government.

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is an authoritarian state. The National Assembly has been characterized as a rubber stamp for the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) or as only being able to affect issues of low sensitivity to the regime. The CPV controls nomination and election processes at every level. The CPV has great influence over the executive and exercises control through the 150-member Central Committee, which elects the 15-member Politburo at national party congresses held every five years. All senior government positions are held by members of the party.

Constitutionally, the National Assembly is the highest government organization and the highest-level representative body of the people. It has the power to draw up, adopt, and amend the constitution and to make and amend laws. It also has the responsibility to legislate and implement state plans and budgets. Through its constitution-making powers it defines its own role and the roles of the Vietnamese State President, the Vietnamese Government, the local people's councils and people's committees, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuracy.

The assembly can replace and remove government ministers, the chief justice of the Supreme People's Court, and the procurator general of the Supreme People's Procuracy. Finally, it has the power to initiate or conclude wars and to assume other duties and powers it deems necessary. The term of each National Assembly is five years, and meetings are convened twice a year, or more frequently if called for by the National Assembly Standing Committee.