National Assembly and People’s Councils Election: Vietnam continues positive contributions to ASEAN parliamentary diplomacy
WVR - The election of deputies to the new National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term took place on March 15. This is a significant political event not only for the people of Vietnam but also draws attention from other countries, especially in Southeast Asia.
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| Mr. Beni Sukadis, Senior Coordinator of the Indonesian Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies. |
Mr. Beni Sukadis, Senior Coordinator of the Indonesian Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies, highly appreciates the increasingly prominent role of Vietnam's National Assembly and local authorities in socio-economic development and legal reform. He also notes that parliamentary diplomacy contributes to strengthening ASEAN cohesion.
According to Mr. Beni Sukadis, Vietnam's National Assembly has helped shape the legal framework for economic development by enacting and amending laws related to investment, public-private partnerships, land management, and digital governance. These reforms strengthen a stable legal environment, enhance investor confidence, and support the transition of the economy to a market mechanism.
At the local level, particularly in provinces, authorities have proactively implemented development policies by competing to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), improving administrative service quality, and accelerating infrastructure projects.
The Indonesian expert notes that the close coordination between the National Assembly and local governments has strongly reinforced Vietnam's national economic development plan, which follows an export-oriented growth model. This serves as a good example not only for Vietnam but also for many other countries, bringing tangible benefits to the economy and the people.
Evaluating the recent progress of Vietnam's National Assembly, Mr. Beni Sukadis highlights at least three notable points. The first is enhancing transparency in parliamentary activities. He cites the live broadcasting of plenary discussions, hearings, and questioning of government members as clear evidence of efforts to publicize the decision-making process, thereby increasing public trust.
The second point is the trend towards professionalizing the activities of deputies. Vietnam's National Assembly has increased the number of full-time deputies, contributing to clearer task allocation among committees and improving the quality of legislative project reviews. Strengthening and expanding committees responsible for key economic sectors, as well as specialized areas like infrastructure and digital transformation, is seen as a significant step in improving organizational structure and legislative efficiency.
The third highlight is the advancement of technology application in the legislative process. Vietnam's National Assembly has gradually developed and implemented digital tools for drafting, consulting, and coordinating among committees, enhancing connectivity and information accessibility throughout the law-making process, especially in areas related to investment and economic growth.
Mr. Beni Sukadis believes these factors have strengthened the legal framework and enhanced the capacity and effectiveness of Vietnam's National Assembly in the new context.
Addressing global challenges, he emphasizes the legislative body's crucial role in transforming long-term goals into legal frameworks and specific budget priorities. In areas such as climate change, energy transition, and digital transformation, parliaments need to pass regulations on emissions control, promote renewable energy, protect data, and encourage innovation, while overseeing government implementation to ensure adaptability to global economic fluctuations.
Regarding parliamentary diplomacy, Mr. Beni Sukadis notes that beyond traditional legislative functions, this is an important supplementary channel for state diplomacy and needs to be further strengthened within ASEAN. Through the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) mechanism, regional parliaments can enhance consultations, exchange information, organize bilateral visits, and create dialogue forums to adjust and harmonize common legal frameworks in the region. These exchange channels not only strengthen bilateral relations but also contribute to institutional cohesion within ASEAN.
The Indonesian expert believes that in the context of ongoing geopolitical and global economic changes, the proactive role of the legislative body will become increasingly significant in ensuring the stability, transparency, and adaptability of national policy systems.
Discussing prospects for bilateral cooperation, Mr. Beni Sukadis suggests that there is ample room for Vietnam and Indonesia to promote parliamentary cooperation in a more substantive and in-depth manner. First, both sides can enhance information exchange and share experiences in legislative activities, oversight, and decision-making on important national issues.
He identifies a promising area as capacity building for deputies and supporting staff of the National Assemblies of both countries. This group directly assists deputies in policy research, provides specialized materials, and advises on drafting and formulating legislative projects, especially in economic cooperation and development fields. Organizing joint training programs, thematic workshops, expert exchanges, and increasing high-level visits and contacts between deputies of Vietnam's National Assembly and Indonesia's Parliament will contribute to improving legislative activity quality and deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
