Illustrative photo

Our people are always proud of the country of traditional festivals. The upcoming Sunday (May 22^nd 2016) will be a festive day of all people when they exercise their noble right in the election of deputies to the 14^th National Assembly (NA) and People’s Councils at levels for 2016 – 2021. Right at the moment, in the Capital City of Hanoi and all over the country, the eagerness appears vividly and spreads widely among the Vietnamese people.

The 70-year history of the NA is one of the prides of the national history. Notably, the first General Election of deputies to the National People’s Congress – the First NA of a new Vietnam and the image of beloved President Ho Chi Minh still leave a deep impression in our mind. Victory of the General Election marked a milestone in the development of Vietnam’s democracy and once again reaffirmed the name of our country in the world map.

Over the past 70 years, under the Party’s leadership, the NA has met the people’s aspirations and successfully fulfilled its three basic functions, namely legislation, supreme supervision and decision-making. In the national history, as the supreme organ of the people and the highest-level organ of the country’s power, the NA has always promoted its role of paramount importance in the cause of national liberation, construction and protection. Together with making contributions to the Vietnamese revolution, the NA has gained important achievements, especially 5 Constitutions, namely 1946, 1959, 1980, 1992, 2013 ones, and hundreds of acts in all fields, institutionalizing the Party’s guidelines and policies, laying a firm legal foundation to strengthen national potential and synergy in each revolutionary period. Those facts make us believe that the upcoming Election will be a success as those before.

Implementing directives, resolutions made by the Politburo (11^th tenure), Prime Minister, NA Standing Committee, other central committees, sectors, and organizations, we have basically finished preparations for the Election in accordance with regulations of law. After completing 3 rounds of negotiations, on April 26^th 2016, the Office of the NA held a press conference, releasing the list of 870 candidates to the 14^th NA at 184 electoral units nation-wide. Among those candidates, there are 197 nominated by Central level, 673 nominated by localities; there are 339 female candidates, accounting for 38.97%; 204 ethnic ones, accounting for 23.45%; 268 below 40 years old, accounting for 30.80%; 97 candidates who are not party members, accounting for 11.15%; 11 independent candidates.

The Election of deputies to the 14^th NA and People’s Councils at levels for 2016-2021 will be a great political event of the country. We believe that voters in the military together with others in the whole country will judiciously select and vote for the most typical, moral, capable candidates who deserve to be representatives for the people in organs of state’s power at Central and local levels. The success of the Election will create a firm foundation for our people to continue building and completing the Vietnam Socialist State ruled by law. That will also be the most convincing evidence to refute hostile forces’ distortions against Vietnamese revolution.

With that unshakeable faith, the upcoming Election – the Festive Day of all people – will certainly be successful.

National Defence Journal