Deputies emphasize efficiency of votes of confidence in reality PANO – The draft Resolution on votes of confidence and votes of no confidence on holders of positions elected or approved by the National Assembly (NA) and People’s Councils was again thoroughly discussed by deputies in groups on October 29th. Most deputies agreed that such a resolution is necessary and some offered suggestions to the draft, so that the votes of confidence could be applied more effectively in reality. Avoiding formalism   According to NA deputies, such a resolution could help the NA and People’s Councils at all levels to improve the efficiency of their supervision over the performance of elected post-holders or of those approved by the NA and People’s Councils. This is also seen as a specific step required within the parameters of “votes of confidence” as stated in the Constitution and other legal documents. In addition, the results of votes of confidence can faithfully show how much people trust in elected officials or those approved by the NA and People’s Councils, so that they can take serious measures to improve the effectiveness of their performance and responsibilities. Deputies also focused discussions on the scope of votes of confidence. According to many deputies, votes of confidence and votes of no confidence should be applied to key positions in State agencies and localities. “Votes of confidence should not be extended to all elected positions or those approved by the NA and People’s Councils, because a number of officials do not have much impact on administrative systems at all levels,” Deputy Huynh Minh Thien from Ho Chi Minh City said. He stressed that votes of confidence conducted on an extensive scale could lead to formalism and that is the thing voters across the nation do not expect. Some deputies from Vinh Phuc province shared the same view. Many deputies agreed that votes of confidence should be limited to holders of key positions, who lead important organisations and administrative systems at all levels and who have considerable influence over administrative systems at all levels. Meanwhile, a number of other deputies from Ho Chi Minh City said that many important positions, such as directors of city or provincial departments, who are seen as chiefs of sectors in a city or province, do not have to undergo votes of confidence as they are not elected or approved by local People’s Councils. “Votes of confidence should be applied to such important positions. Local People’s Councils should have authority to hold votes of confidence on holders of all key positions in the local administration. After the votes, local People’s Councils are responsible for dealing only with elected officials or those approved by them, and the results of votes of confidence on other positions should be handed over to other competent agencies,” Deputy Huynh Thanh Lap from Ho Chi Minh City proposed. “Confidence” or “no confidence” The draft Resolution on votes of confidence states that deputies of the NA and People’s Councils will have four options when they cast ballots in votes of confidence for elected or approved officials. The four options are “high confidence”, “middle confidence”, “low confidence” and “no idea”. According to NA deputies, it would be difficult for competent agencies to evaluate the results when the four options are applied in a vote of confidence. Many suggested that there should be two options instead: “confidence” and “no confidence”. Deputy Tran Du Lich said that most voters advocated the Resolution and hoped that votes of confidence and votes of no confidence could be conducted effectively. But they believed that votes of confidence would be less practical and effective with the four levels of confidence. “There should be two levels: “confidence” and “no confidence”, he suggested. With the same view, Deputy Huynh Thanh Lap said that it is much easier for deputies to rate confidence on cadres in a vote of confidence as well as for competent agencies to decide the rate of confidence if there are two clear-cut levels. A large number of deputies agreed that votes of confidence should be held every year, but a vote of confidence on elected or approved officials should start from the second year of their term of office. They also agreed that votes of confidence should be held first and votes of no confidence would be held only when cadres did not gather more than 50 percent of confidence votes. Translated by Thu Nguyen