Institutional reform must come first to pave the way for a two-digit growth target.

From 6 to the morning of 12 April 2026, the first session of the XVI National Assembly took place as the country enters a new development phase with higher requirements for growth quality. The target of two-digit growth is no longer only an economic goal; it has become a political directive tied to the XIV Party Congress Resolution, requiring the entire political system to participate in implementation.

While the session included work such as consolidating the state apparatus, its most notable feature was the new Parliament’s operating mindset from the start: no waiting, no policy delays, and a direct focus on key economic bottlenecks.

Personnel work completed quickly; leadership set for continuity

One of the session’s most prominent marks was the fast and coordinated completion of personnel work. In just 2.5 working days, the National Assembly elected Mr. Trần Thanh Mẫn to continue as Chairman of the XVI National Assembly; elected Mr. To Lâm—the General Secretary—to serve as President of the State; and elected Mr. Lê Minh Hưng to serve as Prime Minister. The Assembly also filled 39 other senior leadership posts.

The leadership cadre was established in a centralized, coherent, and transparent manner from the outset of the term, aiming to ensure stability and continuity of the political system and to enable major Party policies to be quickly institutionalized and implemented.

Legislative agenda launched with urgency; multiple draft laws reviewed

Alongside personnel work, the Parliament actively launched a legislative program with urgency and substance, without delaying policy actions. In the first session, it provided opinions on eight draft laws and two important resolutions covering many areas of life and governance.

Discussions on the revised Capital Law and the Access to Information Law attracted 31 delegate comments, focusing on issues including decentralization and checks on power, capital region planning, administrative reform, and ensuring the public’s right of access to information.

The legislative peak in the first phase came on 12 April, when Parliament passed a Resolution on several provisions regarding environmental protection tax, value-added tax, and excise tax on gasoline, oil, and aviation fuels with an absolute majority (460/460). The Resolution takes effect from 16 April 2026 to 30 June 2026, reflecting Parliament’s timeliness in supporting production and business activity and in contributing to inflation control amid market fluctuations.

Institutional reform positioned as the engine for two-digit growth

If staffing created the foundation for stability, the economic and social deliberations at this session clarified a central issue for the term: to achieve two-digit growth, institutional bottlenecks must be removed.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng emphasized that “Institutional reform remains the decisive focal point.” Accordingly, 2026 is set as the year to resolve a series of institutional issues, including a comprehensive review of the legal system, building a strategy for the legal framework in the new era, and addressing impediments in two-tier local governance.

The session also highlighted the synchronized completion of socio-economic development plans, land-use planning, and the urgent resolution of stalled projects in land, capital, and even renewable energy projects. The Prime Minister noted that before seeking new growth drivers, large resources currently “blocked” in these projects must be unlocked.

Administrative reform and efforts to reduce business conditions were also pursued. The government directed a comprehensive review to cut procedures, shorten time, and lower compliance costs for businesses and citizens, with the aim of stimulating investment and production.

Investment mobilization targets and the need for stable legal conditions

A key element in the approach to achieving two-digit growth while mobilizing resources is the target for total social investment at about 40% of GDP. Public investment is expected to account for around 20%, with the remainder mobilized from the business sector, society, and foreign investment. This, the session materials indicate, requires a transparent and stable legal framework to build investor confidence.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng also stressed the need to maintain macroeconomic stability alongside high growth, stating: “We do not accept overheating growth that comes at the cost of macro instability, as the price would be too high and much greater in the long run.”

Shift in legislative thinking: from governing to enabling development

Throughout the first phase of the XVI National Assembly, there was a clear shift in legislative thinking. The aim is not only to perfect the legal system, but also to reform how laws are made toward development.

This direction was reflected in opening remarks by General Secretary and President To Lâm, who urged strengthening the capacity to institutionalize and implement Party resolutions into policy and law, to create a robust legal framework for development, and to promote innovation while freeing productive forces.

The session reiterated three strategic breakthroughs—institutions, infrastructure, and human resources—as pillars of growth, while emphasizing that institutions are the key enabler. The rationale is that only streamlined, transparent, and stable law can allow infrastructure and human resources to unleash their full potential.

Parliament’s focus on amending foundational laws, paired with decentralization and checks on power, signals an effort to broaden local development space with greater accountability. Ensuring citizens’ right to information is also presented as progress toward a rule-of-law state where transparency and accountability are mandatory standards.

The first session delivered a consistent message: two-digit growth cannot be achieved with old solutions; a new approach is required, with institutions at the center.

The second session of the term is expected to open on 20 April 2026 and will further define these directions.