Foreign experts note election opportunity for citizens to select suitable candidates

This policy can be viewed as a driving force to gather strength from various fields and ultimately benefit the management of the country, he said. Ganjanakhundee went on to explain that the consultation and introduction of candidates across three rounds and five steps applied in the local system is an effective method aimed at choosing suitable candidates for the country's National Assembly (NA).

The upcoming elections are to select deputies to the 15th NA and to all-level People’s Councils for the 2021 to 2026 tenure, with the event being an occasion for Vietnamese citizens to choose their best representatives to lead the nation along its selected path.

In the buildup to this political event, the country has made thorough preparations for the elections, despite facing numerous challenges caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This therefore reflects the Party and State’s strong political determination to steer the country towards greater development amid an ever-changing global and regional geopolitical landscape, the expert said.

Furthermore, Ganjanakhundee notes that the organisation of elections amid the ongoing pandemic is normal, citing Singapore as an example after it held safe and successful general elections in 2020 despite COVID-19 outbreaks.

The crucial factor is enforcing effective pandemic prevention and control measures at polling stations, he noted.
Concurring with this viewpoint, Dr. Balaz Szantos from Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University said it is a tough year to hold a national election, but the schedule is hard to be delayed and can be done successfully as long as the careful implementation of safety measures is ensured.

Moreover, Prof. Carl Thayer, an expert from Australia’s New South Wales University, said the elections of deputies to the 15th NA and the People's Councils at all levels for the 2021 to 2026 tenure on May 23 is an opportunity for Vietnamese people to express their views on important issues. This includes the nation’s leadership and the strengthening of local Governments’ apparatus.

The activities of the Vietnamese law-making body have undergone important changes throughout the country's process to build and strengthen its socialist rule-of-law state, especially since the adoption of the Constitution in 1992, which was amended in 2001, the 2013 Constitution, and the 2015 Law on Election.

According to the expert, this year's elections may involve over 69 million constituents who are eligible to vote, whilst all of the candidates have been thoroughly evaluated to ensure their qualifications. The list of qualified candidates also exhibits diversity in composition, with a high proportion of women and ethnic minorities, at 45% and 21%, respectively.

Regarding preparation for this important event, Prof. Thayer said that Vietnam has made extraordinary efforts to combat COVID-19 outbreaks.

The National Election Council has adopted an official list of 866 qualified candidates, he noted, citing information provided by local media as saying that 84,767 election groups have been set up to run polling stations on election day.