“Reactionary Groups” Back Self-nominees for Vietnam NA Election: Official

Vietnam Parliament building in Hanoi

Vietnam Parliament building in Hanoi

This accusation is groundless and aims to eliminate independent people from the final list of candidates, said Dr. Nguyen Xuan Dien, one of the self-nominees in the capital city. He has filled a protest to the National Election Council and state leaders demanding to launch an investigation on the accusation.

By Vu Quoc Ngu, March 16, 2016

“Reactionary groups” are backing some self-nominees who are seeking seats in Vietnam’s highest legislative body National Assembly (NA) in the coming general election in May, said officials from the Election Committee in Hanoi.

Some self-nominees are receiving financial support from “domestic and foreign reactionary groups”, and using social networks for their election campaign, said an official from the Security subcommittee at a meeting in Hanoi on March 15 with participation of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is set to become the cabinet leader next month.

However, the official has not unveiled the names of “reactionary groups” and the involved nominees as well as details of the accusation.

This accusation is groundless and aims to eliminate independent people from the final list of candidates, said Dr. Nguyen Xuan Dien and Dr. Nguyen Quang A, two of 47 self-nominees in the capital city. Both have filled a protest to the National Election Council and state leaders demanding to launch an investigation on the accusation.

As many as 100 self-nominees have registered for seats in the country’s parliament in the general election on May 22, according to the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the communist-controlled mass organization which is responsible for checking eligibility of all candidates.

Of the amount, 47 came from Hanoi, 50 from Ho Chi Minh City and three from Danang. Many of them are social activists who have declared to fight for the country’s independent and human rights enhancement as well as against corruption.

Not all self-nominees will be included in the final lists, some senior officials said without saying reasons for their elimination.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front will conduct meetings between nominees and people from their respective living areas. Only those who get node from local residents will be included in the candidates’ list.

In the previous election, many social activists were eliminated in this stage as authorities deployed a number of tricks to exclude unwanted nominees from the election.

Vietnam will elect 500 deputies for the parliament in the 14th tenure. The number of independent lawmakers may rise to 50 from four in the 2011-2016 term. The structure of the parliament was formed by the communist party.

Next month, the parliament in the 13th tenure will formally approve senior posts, including the president, the prime minister and the top legislator who have been selected by the ruling communist party.