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SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Independence - Freedom - Happiness 1992 CONSTITUTION
OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
(As Amended 25 December 2001)
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Preamble

Through the millennia of their history the Vietnamese people have worked hard and creatively and fought
valiantly to build and safeguard their country, in the course of which the nation's tradition of unity, humanity
and of staunch and indomitable struggle has been forged and its cultural heritage built and nurtured.

Since 1930, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam founded and forged by President Ho
Chi Minh, our people have undertaken a protracted and arduous revolutionary struggle that led to the
successful August Revolution and the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on 2nd
September 1945. Over the decades that followed, our multi-ethnic nation fought continuously and, with
the precious assistance of friends across the world, especially of the socialist and neighbouring countries,
achieved glorious victories, especially in the historic Dien Bien Phu and Ho Chi Minh campaigns, defeating
the two colonialist and imperialist wars of aggression, liberating and reunifying their homeland, and
completing the people's national democratic revolution. On July 2nd, 1976 the National Assembly of
reunified Vietnam decided to change the name of the country to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; the
whole country entered the period of transition to socialism, of resolute endeavour to build up the country,

THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
THE POLITICAL SYSTEM

Article 1

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is an independent, sovereign and united country, which in its territorial
integrity comprises its mainland, off-shore island, airspace and territorial waters.

Article 2

The State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a State of the people, by the people, for the people. All
State power belongs to the people whose foundation is the alliance between the working class and the
peasantry and the intelligentsia.

State power is unity with delegation of power to, and co-ordination among State bodies in exercising
legislative, executive and judicial rights.

Article 3

The State ensures and constantly fosters the people's rights as masters in all spheres, realises the targets
of building a prosperous life for its people, a strong country and an equitable, democratic and civilised
society, ensuring the well-being, freedom and happiness of all citizens as well as conditions for their all-
round development, and severely punishes all infringements on the interests of the nation and of the
people.

Article 4

The Communist Party of Vietnam, the vanguard of the Vietnamese working class and loyal representative
of the interests of the working class, the working people and the whole nation, who adheres to Marxism-
Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought, is the force assuming leadership of the State and society.

Article 7

Elections to the National Assembly and the People's Councils are conducted by universal equal and direct
suffrage through secret ballot.

Deputies to the National Assembly may be divested of their mandate by electors or by the National
Assembly and deputies to the People's Councils may be divested of their mandate by electors or the
People's Councils when they are no longer worthy of the people's confidence.

Article 8

All State bodies and State officials and employees shall respect the people, serve the people with utmost
dedication, maintain close ties with the people, listen to the opinions of the people and accept their
supervision. They shall resolutely combat against corruption, mis-spending and all manifestations of
bureaucratism, arrogance, and authoritarianism.

Article 9

The Vietnam Fatherland Front is the political allied organization and voluntary union of political
organizations, social-political organizations, social organizations and representative individuals of social
strata and classes, of ethnic groups, of religions and of Vietnamese people residing abroad.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organisations constitute the political base of the people's
administration. The Front fosters the tradition of national unity, strengthens political and moral cohesion
among the people, takes part in building and consolidating the people's power, and together with the
government attends to and protects the legitimate rights of the people, encourages the people to exercise
their rights as master scrupulously respect the Constitution and the law, and monitors the activities of the
state agencies, elected deputies, state officials and employees.

The State creates favourable conditions for the Fatherland Front and its member organizations to work


Article 13

Our Vietnamese homeland is sacred and inviolable. All schemes and actions prejudicial to the
independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the homeland or the cause of building and
defending the socialist homeland shall be severely punished according to law.

Article 14

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam pursues a policy of peace, friendship and expanded international
relations and cooperation with all countries in the world, irrespective of their political and social systems,
on the basis of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference
in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit; enhances the friendly solidarity and traditional
cooperation with socialist and neighbouring countries; actively supports and contributes to the common
struggle of the peoples of the world for peace, national independence, democracy and social progress.

CHAPTER II

THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

Article 15

The State builds an independent and self-reliant economy through promoting internal strength, actively
integrating into the world’s economy and conducting industrialisation and modernisation of the country.

The State adopts consistent policies on development of a socialist-oriented market economy. The multi-
sectoral structure of the economy with diversified types of production and business organisation is based
on ownership of the entire people along with collective and private ownership, of which the first two and
the second are the cornerstone.



The State assumes the unified administration of land according to overall planning and in conformity with
the law and ensures its appropriate and effective use.

Land is allocated by the State to organisations and individuals for stable long-term use.

Organisations and individuals who use the land are duty-bound to ensure its protection, replenishment,
rational exploitation and economical utilisation. They are also entitled by law to transfer the right to use the
land allocated by the State.

Article 19

The State sector is to be strengthened and developed especially in the key branches and fields which
assume a leading role and, together with the collective economic sector, form the stable foundation of the
national economy.
Article 20

Economic collectives set up through the contribution of funds and manpower by citizens for cooperation in
production and business will be organised under different forms on the basic of voluntariness, democracy
and mutual benefit.

The State shall facilitate the consolidation and expansion of efficient economic collectives.

Article 21

Individual economic entities, small-holders and the private capitalist economic sector are allowed to
choose their forms of production and business, have the right to set up business without any limitations as
to their scale of activities in branches and trades which are beneficial to the well-being of the nation and its
people.


production.

Article 25

The State encourages foreign organisations and individuals to invest capital and technology in Vietnam in
accordance with Vietnamese law and with international law and practice; ensures the legal ownership of
capital and assets as well as other interests of foreign organisations and individuals. Enterprises with
foreign invested capital shall not be nationalised.

The State encourages and creates favourable conditions for the Vietnamese who live abroad to invest in
the homeland.

Article 26

The State assumes the unified administration of the national economy through legislation, plans, policies,
assigns responsibilities and devolves State administrative authority among the various levels, combines
the interests of individuals, collectives and the State.

Article 27

All economic and social activities and State administration as a whole have to observe economy.

Article 28

All illegal production or business activities, all acts that undermine the national economy, harm the
legitimate interests of the State, collectives and citizens shall be strictly punished in accordance with the
law.

The State adopts policies aimed at protecting the interests of producers and consumers.


to preserve fine customs and to build happy and cultured families; instils in citizens patriotism, attachment
to the socialist regime and a genuine spirit of internationalism, friendship and cooperation among nations
in the world.

Article 32

Art and literature help nurture the noble personality and soul of the Vietnamese people.
The State invest in the development of culture, literature and art, creates favourable conditions for the
people to enjoy literary and artistic works of high value; sponsors the promotion of creative literary and
artistic talents.

The state develops diverse forms of literary and artistic activities; encourages popular literary and artistic
activities.

Article 33

Work in the field of information, press, radio, television, cinema, publishing, libraries and other means of
mass communication is to be developed by the State-Cultural of information activities detrimental to the
national interests and which undermine the fine personality, morality and way of life of the Vietnamese
people are prohibited.

Article 34

The State and society preserve and develop the national cultural heritage; historical or revolutionary
monuments, cultural relics, works of art and beauty-spots shall be maintained, restored, protected and
their impact fostered. Due attention shall also be granted to preservation and museum work.

All acts causing damage to or prejudicial to historical or revolutionary monuments, works of art and beauty-
spots are strictly prohibited.


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Together with the school, mass organisations, being first and foremost the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth
Union, social and economic organisations, and the family have the responsibility to educate youth and
children.

Article 37

Scientific and technological development is a primary national policy.

Science and technology play a key role in the socio-economic development of the country.

The State is to work out and implement a national policy on science and technology; build an advanced
science and technology; ensure the harmonious development of the various kinds of science, study and
receive world scientific and technological achievements so as to build up a scientific rationale for policy-
and law-making, renew our technologies, develop the productive forces, upgrade our management ability,
ensure the quality and pace of development of the economy and thus contribute to ensure national
security and defence.

Article 38

The State is to invest into and encourage funding of science from various sources with priority in the
direction of leading edge sciences and technologies attend to the training and rational employment of the
body of scientists and technicians, especially those with an advanced level, and of skilled workers and
craftsmen; create favourable conditions for the creative contribution of scientists, promote many forms of
organisation and conduct of scientific research; link scientific research to socio-economic development
needs, closely associate scientific research and training with production and business.

Article 39

The State invests in, develops and ensures the unified administration of people's health protection,

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Article 42

The State and society are to develop tourism, tourist activities inside and outside the country are to be
encouraged and broadened.

Article 43

The State expands international exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, information, literature,
art, science, technology, education, health care, physical culture and sports.

CHAPTER IV

DEFENCE OF THE VIETNAMESE SOCIALIST HOMELAND

Article 44

The defence of the Vietnamese Socialist Homeland and the maintenance of national security is a cause of
the entire people.

The State consolidates and strengthens the system of defence by the entire people and of people's
security, the core role being played by the people's armed forces; brings into play the combined strength of
the nation to firmly safeguard the homeland.

State offices, economic or social organisations and all citizens are duty-bound to discharge their obligation
with respect to defence and security as provided by the law.

Article 45

The People's armed forces owe absolute loyalty to the Homeland and the people, have the duty to be


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BASIC RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF CITIZENS

Article 49

Citizens of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam are persons enjoying Vietnamese citizenship.

Article 50

In the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, human rights in all respects, political, civic, economic, cultural and
social are respected, find their expression in the rights of citizens and are provided for by the Constitution
and the law.

Article 51

The rights of citizens are inseparable from their obligations.

The State guarantees the rights of citizens and citizens must fulfil their obligations towards the State and
society.

Rights and obligations of citizens are provided for by the Constitution and the law.

Article 52

All citizens are equal before the law.

Article 53


Article 58

Citizens have the right to ownership of lawful income, savings, housing, personal possessions, means of
production, capital and other assets in enterprises or in other economic organisations; the right to use the
land allocated by the State is provided for in Article 17 and 18.

The State protects the citizen's right to bequeath and to inherit.

Article 59

Education is a right and obligation of citizens.

Primary education is to be compulsory and free of charge.

Citizens have the right to general and vocational education in various forms.

The State and society encourage gifted pupils and students in their studies with the view to develop their
talents.

The State is to adopt policies on tuition fees and scholarships.

The State and society are to provide conditions for handicapped and other specially disadvantaged
children to enjoy appropriate general and vocational education.

Article 60

Citizens have the right to undertake scientific and technical research and discovery, invention, innovations,
technical improvements, rationalisation of production, and to engage in literary, artistic creation and
criticism and other cultural activities. Copy right and the right to industrial ownership protected by the
State.