Voters nationwide will cast their ballots for the 13 th National Assembly deputies for the 2011-2016 term on May 22, in the most significant political event for the Vietnamese people in 2011.

The NA’s role and position has been affirmed and its prestige has been raised during the past 12 elections.

The election of deputies to the first NA for the 1946-1960 term took place on Jan. 6, 1946 with 403 elected deputies. Over 14 years of operation, the first NA considered and adopted two important documents: the Constitution in 1946 and the Constitution in 1959 and 11 laws and 50 resolutions on economic and cultural restoration, reform and development and independence consolidation.

A total of 453 deputies were elected to the second NA for the 1960-1964 term on May 8, 1960. During this term, the NA brought into play its important role in harnessing human and material strengths for building socialism in the north and the struggle for southern liberation and national unification.

The election of deputies to the third NA (1964-1971) was held on April 26, 1964 with 453 elected deputies. The third NA held only seven sessions over the period of seven years due to the war. The NA Standing Committee held 95 sessions with the adoption of many resolutions on political, economic and external relations issues and administration and personnel work.

Vietnamese voters elected 420 deputies to the fourth NA (1971-1975) on April 11, 1971. During the term, the NA approved the resolution on signing the agreement on the end of the war and the restoration of peace in Vietnam .

A total of 424 deputies were elected to the fifth NA (1975-1976) on April 6, 1975. The fifth NA adopted a resolution on the ratification of the result of the national unification consultative conference, opening a new development period in a united Vietnam .

The election of deputies to the sixth NA (1976-1981), the first NA of a united Vietnam , was held on April 25, 1976 with 492 elected deputies. During the five-year term, the NA issued many important resolutions, including changing the country’s name from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the name of Sai Gon into Ho Chi Minh City and adopting the Constitution in 1980.

Vietnamese voters nationwide elected 496 deputies to the seventh NA (1981-1987) on April 26, 1981. This was the first time the NA issued a Penal Code and intensified supervision and its role in deciding issues of national importance.

With the election of 496 deputies on April 19, 1987, the eighth NA (1987-1992) was considered the NA of the first period of the nation’s comprehensive renovation cause set by the sixth Party Congress. The NA issued many important laws, including the Law on Foreign Investment in Vietnam (1987) and the Law on Private Enterprises (1990).

The ninth NA election (1992-1997) was held on July 19, 1992 with 395 elected deputies. During this term, 36 laws and codes and 43 ordinances were issued, creating legal foundations for a stable and favourable environment for socio-economic development to bring into play people’s rights and enhance diplomatic activities.

With the election of 450 deputies on July 20, 1997, the tenth NA (1997-2002) continued to improve legislative work, speed up supervision work and make decisions on national issues.

The election of deputies to the eleventh NA (2002-2007) was held on May 19, 2002 with 498 elected deputies and the number of voters casting their ballots reached 99.73 percent, the highest so far.

The 12 th NA (2007-2011) – the NA in the period of promoting the renewal cause, national industrialisation and modernisation and international economic integration – has 493 delegates representing people from all walks of life./.