The elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure will be held on May 23. Voters nationwide will choose 500 out of 868 candidates for the 15th legislature. In accordance with the Law on the Election of Deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils, the National Election Council (NEC) announced the official list of candidates during a press conference on April 27. Throughout a five-step process with three rounds of close, democratic, cautious, and non-discriminatory consultations, the list of candidates for the lections of deputies to the 15th NA and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure has been finalised. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
On those days, streets throughout the capital city have been decorated with clusters of national flags, posters, and banners to celebrate the special political event. Following the second consultation held by the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, the National Assembly Standing Committee on March 28 issued a resolution on a second revision of the structure, components, and number of nominees for seats in the 15th legislature. Of the candidates, who will be elected in 184 constituencies nationwide, 203 are nominated by central agencies and the remainders are introduced by provinces and cities. Nine of them are self-nominated candidates. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The communication work aims to create consensus in awareness, political ideology and actions within the Party, as well as social consensus. Of the candidates for the elections, female candidates account for 393 (45.28 percent), while ethnic minority people are 185 (12.31 percent). The number of candidates who are non-Party members is 74 (8.53 percent). A total of 205 candidates are deputies to the 14th legislature, and 224 candidates are under 40 years old. The oldest candidate is 77 years old and the youngest, 24. Notably, agencies under the NA and the NA Standing Committee and the NA Office have the largest number of candidates, 129; while the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organisations have 28 candidates; the Government and its agencies, 15; armed forces, 12; and Party agencies, 11. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Vietnamese voters are due to head to the polls nationwide on May 23. Among the 665 candidates nominated by provinces and cities, 348 are women (52.33 percent), 163 belong to ethnic minority groups (24.52 percent), and 70 are non-Party members (10.53 percent). According to Resolution No 1185/NQ-UBTVQH14, each centrally-run city and province must have at least six deputies, of whom at least three deputies live and work there. During the lobbying campaign, candidates will attend conferences with voters held by the standing boards of provincial, district, and communal Vietnam Fatherland Front committees. They were advised to map out and present their own action plans during the campaign. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
To prepare for the elections, panels, flags and banners have been hung up on streets in Hanoi. Election constitutes a fundamental, sacred and noble right of the people in the modern world today, reflecting the degree of state democracy, social consensus as well as political, legal and cultural identities of each nation. In modern society, election holds an extremely important position of great political significance. Election is the method for forming modern state apparatuses in which the people select and mandate the power to those they elect. By voting, the people will, in the capacity of the holder of the state power, select those who will represent them to participate in state activities. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Hanoi's streets are brightened up to welcome the general election. Election is a form of direct democracy and a mode of expressing the people’s will, aspiration and mastery in building the state in general and their representative body in particular. The election rights are usually acknowledged in the constitutions of countries as well as important treaties on human rights. In Vietnam, election is the mode for the people to select their representatives in the people-elected bodies at central and local levels, namely the National Assembly and People’s Councils of different levels. Thereby, the people’s power is converted into the state power and agencies formed by the people via election become the state-power agencies at the central and local levels. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Preparations relating to listing candidates and decorating streets have been basically completed. Election constitutes a fundamental, sacred and noble right of the people in the modern world today, reflecting the degree of state democracy, social consensus as well as political, legal and cultural identities of each nation. The current’s election regime in Vietnam is provided in the 2013 Constitution and further detailed in the 2015 Law on Election of National Assembly Deputies and People’s Council Deputies. In addition, specific elections are also governed by various legal documents. All those documents have constituted an important legal framework for election activities and the exercise of democracy in Vietnam. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Tran Duy Hung - Nguyen Chi Thanh route is covered with red flags and banners ahead of the elections. Election principles mean the fundamental and base guidelines orientating the election regime, which are provided in law and must be strictly adhered to in reality. The election regime in Vietnam at present complies with the following four principles: universal suffrage, equal election, direct election, and secret ballot. The right to vote and the right to stand for election are fundamental rights of citizens which reflect the level of democracy of the Vietnamese State. Article 27 of the 2013 Constitution stipulates: “Every citizen who reaches the age of eighteen has the right to vote. Every citizen who reaches the age of twenty one has the right to stand for election to the National Assembly or People’s Councils.” (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The streets of Tho Nhuom - Quan Su - Hai Ba Trung. In all elections in Vietnam, the process of consultation to nominate candidates is conducted in five steps: (i) organising the first consultative conference to reach agreement on the proportion, composition and number of National Assembly candidates and People’s Council candidates; (ii) nominating candidates; (iii) organising the second consultative conference to make preliminary lists of candidates and gather opinions of voters at the places of candidates’ residence; (iv) collecting comments of voters at the places of candidates’ residence; and (v) organising the third consultative conference to draw up the official list of candidates. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
At the area around Hoan Kiem Lake. The entities in charge of election in Vietnam include the National Election Council and local election bodies. The National Election Council is held responsible before the National Assembly and reports on its activities to the National Assembly and National Assembly Standing Committee. Meanwhile, local election bodies include Election Committees of provinces or centrally run cities, Election Committees of rural districts, urban districts, towns, or provincial/municipal cities, Election Committees of communes, wards or towns (collectively referred to as Election Committees); the National Assembly Deputy Election Board, provincial-level People’s Council Deputy Election Boards, district-level People’s Council Deputy Election Boards, and commune-level People’s Council Deputy Election Boards (collectively referred to as Election Boards); and election teams. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Such panels, flags and banners also remind people of the election date and their rights to the election. According to Vietnam’s election law, campaigns are activities of great significance in promoting the exercise of people’s mastery. This is a channel linking candidates and voters which give candidates chances to demonstrate their political capability and at the same time create conditions for voters to contact candidates, understand them better and, on that basis, select and vote for the fully qualified persons to represent them in state power bodies. Under the law, election campaigning may be carried out in either of the following forms: (i) meeting and contacting voters at voters’ conferences in localities where candidates stand for election and (ii) answering interviews in local mass media and on the election website. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The election of deputies to all-level People’s Councils has enabled people to exercise their right to mastery and elect those who can represent their will and aspirations. The election law prescribes that the election campaigning must ensure democracy, equality and not be abused to conduct propaganda in contravention of the Constitution and law or to infringe upon the honour, prestige, lawful rights and interests of other organisations and/ or individuals. Funds for election campaigning will be allocated from the state budget. The election law also clearly provides the responsibility of relevant agencies and organisations in propagandising and organising the election campaigning. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The elections have contributed to consolidating and perfecting the rule-of-law socialist state, of the people, for the people and by the people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The National Election Council (NEC) hosted a press conference on April 27 to announce the official list of 868 candidates who will run for 500 seats in the 15th National Assembly. Of the candidates, who will be elected in 184 constituencies nationwide, 203 are nominated by central agencies and the remainders are introduced by provinces and cities. Nine of them are self-nominated candidates. Female candidates account for 393 (45.28 percent) of the total, while ethnic minority people are 185 (12.31 percent). The number of candidates who are non-Party members is 74 (8.53 percent). (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Many voters have expressed their hope that new Party and State leaders will help the country reform and reap more achievements. Bui Van Cuong, NA Secretary General, Chairman of the NA Office and Chief of the NEC Office, said of the total candidates, 205 are deputies to the 14th legislature, and 224 are under 40 years old. The oldest candidate is 77 years old and the youngest, 24. Notably, agencies under the NA and the NA Standing Committee and the NA Office have the largest number of candidates, 129; while the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organisations have 28 candidates; the Government and its agencies, 15; armed forces, 12; and Party agencies, 11. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
There will be 184 constituencies nationwide. Among the 665 candidates nominated by provinces and cities, 348 are women (52.33 percent), 163 belong to ethnic minority groups (24.52 percent), and 70 are non-Party members (10.53 percent). Nguyen Thi Thanh, Head of the NA Standing Committee’s Board for Deputy Affairs and member of the NEC, said the selection of candidates was carried out cautiously with three rounds of consultation. Those who win the election would still be handled if they are found violating laws, she said, adding that the NEC has also coordinated with the Ministry of Public Security to verify candidates’ nationality. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The numbers of constituencies and deputies to be elected at each constituency in cities and provinces are decided by the National Election Council. The National Election Council has such tasks and power as: to organise the election of National Assembly deputies; to direct and guide the election of deputies to the People’s Councils at different levels; to direct the election communications, propaganda and campaigning activities; to direct the maintenance of security, social order and safety during elections; to inspect and urge the enforcement of law on election; to prescribe forms of candidacy dossiers, voters’ cards, and ballot papers, internal rules of polling places, and other documents used in election. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
This is an important political event that takes place following the 13th National Party Congress. The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam wrapped up on February 1 morning after eight working days, with its resolution adopted at the closing session. Nguyen Phu Trong was re-elected as General Secretary of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee. The resolution said the achievements during the 35 years of “Doi moi” and 30 years of implementing the 1991 Platform, especially 10 years of the Platform supplemented and developed in 2011, have continued to affirm that the path to socialism in Vietnam matches the reality in the country and the development trend of the era, and that the Party’s clear-sighted leadership is the leading factor determining the success of Vietnam’s revolution. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The list of voters has been publicised. Election is a form of direct democracy and a mode of expressing the people’s will, aspiration and mastery in building the state in general and their representative body in particular. The election rights are usually acknowledged in the constitutions of countries as well as important treaties on human rights. In Vietnam, election is the mode for the people to select their representatives in the people-elected bodies at central and local levels, namely the National Assembly and People’s Councils of different levels. Thereby, the people’s power is converted into the state power and agencies formed by the people via election become the state-power agencies at the central and local levels. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The list of voters at a polling station in Hang Bac ward, Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district. Between May 13 and 23, election groups will regularly inform local voters about polling stations and election time through leaflets and the mass media. Many Vietnamese people across the country have expressed a hope that new leaders will be serious, determined and capable of addressing challenges now facing the country. Though challenges remain, most Vietnamese people believe that with unanimity and decisiveness, the newly appointed leaders will lead Vietnam through the hardships and toward the long-held targets of becoming a strong nation with wealthy people and a democratic, fair and civilised society. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The communication work for the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure takes place in three phases. The first one was held in January, the second lasts from April to the election day – May 23, and the third focuses on announcing the election results. Voters nationwide will choose 500 out of 868 candidates for the 15th National Assembly on May 23. Throughout a five-step process with three rounds of close, democratic, cautious, and non-discriminatory consultations, the list of candidates for deputies to the 15th NA and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure has been finalised. (Photo: VietnamPlus) VNA
