Vietnam Calls Elections Successful, Communists Continue to Dominate New Parliament

Vietnam Parliament building in the capital city of Hanoi

Vietnam Parliament building in the capital city of Hanoi

Only two non-communists won their seats in the new parliament while the remaining 494 are members of the ruling communist party, including 19 members of the party’s Politburo members and nearly 100 members of the Central Committee.

by Vu Quoc Ngu, June 10, 2016

Vietnam has declared the elections on May 22 for the country’s legislative body National Assembly and local People’s Councils successful, with the continued domination of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), state media reported Friday.

Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi on June 9, Nguyen Hanh Phuc, general secretary of the National Election Council said nearly 67.05 million out of nearly 67.48 million of eligible voters participated in the ballot and elected 496 members for the parliament, 3,908 members for the provincial People’s Councils, 25,179 members for the district People’s Councils and 291,273 members for the communal People’s Councils.

Only two non-communists won their seats in the new parliament while the remaining 494 are members of the ruling communist party, including 19 members of the party’s Politburo members and nearly 100 members of the Central Committee.

Incumbent Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung, Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue and Minister of Public Security To Lam won the vote with highest voting of between 95.16% and 99.48%, according to the released results.

As many as 160 legislators from the 13th parliament in the 2011-2016 were re-elected and the remaining 336 people will take their first term in the NA for the next five years.

Only six winners have yet to have graduated universities. The new parliament will have 133 female lawmakers and 86 representatives from ethnic minorities.

As many as 17 entrepreneurs won their seats in the new parliament, including six from the capital city of Hanoi.

There were shortcomings during the election, said Mr. Phuc. Many people had not gone to the poll but hired others to do it for them. In addition, the elimination of some candidates who earned strong support from their localities has caused public dissatisfaction, he added.

The National Election Council will acquire letters of complaint within five days and consider them within one month, ensuring that all of the qualified legislators could attend the first meeting of the new parliament scheduled in July, said Phuc, who is also the general secretary of the rubber stamp NA in the 13th tenure.