National Representative Congress convened every how many years? Is the National Representative Congress the highest leadership body of the Communist Party of Vietnam?
How often is the National Congress convened?
Pursuant to Article 15 of the 2011 Charter of the Communist Party of Vietnam as follows:
Article 15:
1. The National Congress of Representatives is convened by the Central Executive Committee every five years; it can be convened earlier or later, but not more than a year.
2. The Congress evaluates the implementation of the resolution of the past term; decides on the policies and strategies of the Communist Party for the next term; elects the Central Executive Committee; supplements, amends the political platform and the Charter of the Communist Party when necessary.
3. When the Central Executive Committee deems it necessary or when more than half of the subordinate committees request, the Central Executive Committee will convene an extraordinary National Congress of Representatives. The delegates attending the extraordinary Congress are the incumbent Central Committee members, the delegates who attended the initial National Congress of the term, qualified.
Thus, according to the regulations, the National Congress of Representatives is convened by the Central Executive Committee every five years.
Additionally, it can be convened earlier or later, but not more than a year.
How often is the National Congress convened? Is the National Congress the highest leading body of the Communist Party of Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)
Is the National Congress the highest leading body of the Communist Party of Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 9 of the 2011 Charter of the Communist Party of Vietnam on the basic principles of democratic centralism as follows:
Article 9
The Communist Party of Vietnam is organized based on the principle of democratic centralism. The basic content of this principle is:
1. The leading bodies at all levels of the Communist Party are elected, following the principle of collective leadership combined with individual responsibility.
2. The highest leading body of the Communist Party is the National Congress of Representatives. The leading bodies at each level are the congress of representatives or the congress of party members. Between the two congresses, the leading body of the Communist Party is the Central Executive Committee; at each level, the committee is referred to as the party executive committee.
3. The party committees at all levels report and are accountable for their activities to the congresses at the same level, to higher and lower party committees; periodically inform their activities to the subordinate party organizations, implement self-criticism and criticism.
4. Party organizations and party members must comply with the resolutions of the Communist Party. The minority obeys the majority, the lower level obeys the higher level, individuals obey organizations, and all organizations in the Communist Party obey the National Congress of Representatives and the Central Executive Committee.
5. Resolutions of the leading bodies of the Communist Party only become enforceable when more than half of the members of that body agree. Before voting, each member has the right to express their opinion. The minority Communist Party members are allowed to maintain their opinions and report to higher party committees until the National Congress of Representatives, but must strictly comply with the resolution and not propagate opinions contrary to the Party’s resolutions. The authorized party committee will research and consider those opinions; there will be no discrimination against party members with minority opinions.
6. Party organizations make decisions on matters within their authority, but must not violate the principles, policies, and directions of the Communist Party, the laws of the State, and the resolutions of higher levels.
Thus, the highest leading body of the Communist Party is the National Congress of Representatives.
The leading bodies at each level are the congress of representatives or the congress of party members. Between the two congresses, the leading body of the Communist Party is the Central Executive Committee; at each level, the committee is referred to as the party executive committee.
How is the General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam elected?
Based on the regulations in Article 3 of the Election Regulations within the Communist Party issued together with Decision 244-QD/TW in 2014 as follows:
Election Method
1- Secret ballot voting is conducted in the following cases:
- Electing the party executive committees, party cell committees (referred to as party executive committees); electing the Central Executive Committee.
- Electing the standing committee, secretary, deputy secretary of the party executive committee.
- Electing the Politburo, General Secretary, Secretariat.
- Electing the inspection committee, chairman, deputy chairman of the inspection committee.
- Electing delegates to the congresses of the superior party executive committees.
- Taking votes on candidates to be included in the election list.
- Nominating party members to leadership positions in the State, Fatherland Front, and mass organizations.
2- Voting by raising hands (using party membership cards to vote) is conducted in the following cases:
- Electing the executive, assisting bodies of the congress, conference (presidium of the congress, secretariat, president of the conference, credentials verification committee, vote counting committee...).
- Approving the number and list of candidates.
Thus, the General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam is elected by secret ballot.
How many terms can the General Secretary serve?
Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 17 of the 2011 Charter of the Communist Party of Vietnam, it stipulates:
1. The Central Executive Committee elects the Politburo; elects the General Secretary from the Politburo members; establishes the Secretariat including the General Secretary, some Politburo members assigned by the Politburo and some Secretariat members elected by the Central Executive Committee from the Central Executive Committee members; elects the Central Inspection Committee; elects the Chairman of the Central Inspection Committee from the members of the Central Inspection Committee.
The number of Politburo members, Secretariat members, and Central Inspection Committee members is decided by the Central Executive Committee.
The General Secretary holds the position of General Secretary for no more than two consecutive terms.
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According to the regulations, the General Secretary holds the position of General Secretary for no more than two consecutive terms.
However, there was an exceptional case where General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong became a special case, re-elected General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam for three consecutive terms.
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