Members of the National Assembly of Laos have reviewed the legislature’s five-year strategic plan for law-making and amendments during the inaugural session of the 10th National Assembly.

The session, held in Vientiane on 27 March, was presided over by Xaysomphone Phomvihane.

Chanthakhone Si-amphone, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Constituency 10 (Vientiane Province), outlined key recommendations regarding the legislative direction for 2026–2030.

She noted that the target to research, consider and approve 90 new and amended laws is highly ambitious and called for careful evaluation by the National Assembly Law Committee. She urged further consideration of specific draft laws, including the Law on Blood Donation Mobilization and Safe Blood Transfusion and the Draft Law on Identity Cards.

On blood donation, she questioned whether a formal law is appropriate for what is traditionally a voluntary activity, noting that legal enforcement requirements may not align with its nature. She suggested closer coordination with the Ministry of Justice to assess the necessity of such legislation.

Ms Chanthakhone also recommended stricter criteria for amending laws, proposing that minor revisions affecting only one or two articles should instead be handled through sub-legislation to allow greater flexibility in governance.

She further called for improvements to the legislative process, including holding seminars and consultations with the Law Committee before draft laws are submitted to Ordinary Sessions. At the local level, she cautioned against presenting too many draft laws at once for public consultation, warning that this can lead to rushed and less substantive feedback.

Meanwhile, Konkeo Luangxaymoungkhoun, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Constituency 12 (Khammouane Province), emphasised the importance of public engagement in the law-making process.

She stressed that sufficient time must be provided for officials and citizens to review draft legislation to ensure meaningful input. She also suggested increasing the target for modernising and improving laws from 80% to at least 90%, while calling for clearer distinctions between primary laws and sub-legislation.

Ms Konkeo further recommended that the Project on Evaluation and Implementation of Laws include measurable, percentage-based targets. She also called for capacity-building programmes to include members of Provincial People’s Councils and for clearer details on infrastructure plans, including the number of council offices to be constructed and corresponding budget allocations.

The discussions reflect ongoing efforts by Laos to strengthen its legislative framework and improve governance in line with national development priorities

KPL