The first general election on January 6, 1946: A shining milestone

(Baonghean.vn) - The first general election to elect the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on January 6, 1946 was a major historical event, opening the process of building a new democratic regime in our country. The success of the general election left behind extremely valuable lessons, contributing to the further improvement of the National Assembly election regime.

On September 3, 1945, just one day after declaring independence, at the first meeting of the provisional government, President Ho Chi Minh proposed that one of the six urgent tasks that needed to be carried out immediately was to "organize as soon as possible a general election with universal suffrage" to elect the National Assembly.

On September 8, 1945, the Government issued Decree No. 14/SL on the General Election to elect the National Assembly. Then, on October 17, 1945, the Government signed Decree No. 51/SL regulating the General Election regulations.

On January 5, 1946, thousands of people in Hanoi welcomed President Ho Chi Minh and the candidates nominated for the first National Assembly. Photo: Document

To expand the great national unity bloc, to implement the policy of “unity, unity and unity”, President Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh Central Committee decided to invite all those outside the Viet Minh Front to join the list of candidates. This action proves that the Government and Viet Minh always respect the people’s democratic freedom, respect talented people, unite all patriotic, kind-hearted and good-willed forces for the highest interests of the nation.

President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “The general election is an opportunity for the entire nation to freely choose talented and virtuous people to shoulder the country's affairs. In the general election, anyone who wants to take care of the country has the right to run for election; anyone who is a citizen has the right to vote. Regardless of gender, rich or poor, religion, race, class, or political party, any Vietnamese citizen has these two rights. Therefore, the general election means freedom, equality; it means democracy, and solidarity.”

President Ho Chi Minh - citizen number 1 voting for the 1st National Assembly election

Responding to the sacred call of President Ho Chi Minh, on January 6, 1946, with the ardent patriotism and heroic spirit of the August Revolution, the Vietnamese people from North to South, across the country enthusiastically participated in the election, despite the crazy sabotage of the invading and opposing forces, contributing to the success of the General Election on January 6, 1946.

Specifically, nationwide, the number of voters participating in the vote was 89%, while according to the provisions of Article 56 of Decree No. 51 on the General Election regulations, only one-quarter (1/4) of the eligible voters need to vote for the election to be valid. The General Election elected 333 delegates, of which 57% belonged to different patriotic and revolutionary parties, 43% were non-partisan; there were 10 female delegates and 34 delegates from ethnic minorities.

Working people in the capital also joined in the election day atmosphere, hanging red flags with yellow stars and banners.

The victory of the first General Election has many meanings, not only as a legalization and legitimization of the State's power but also as a fundamental and root solution to resolve class and party conflicts and contradictions in peaceful conditions.

That great and meaningful General Election was successful thanks to a skillful response strategy: Raising high the flag of solidarity, all for the goal of national independence with artistic solutions of "remaining constant, responding to all changes", without having to use violence in a condition where "never before in our country have there been so many enemies".

The victory of the General Election marked the maturity of the Vietnamese revolutionary state, opening a new era, a period in which our country has a National Assembly, a unified Government, a progressive Constitution and a fully legal administrative system to represent the Vietnamese people domestically and internationally.

The election is the basis to affirm the legitimacy and democracy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - a State of the people, by the people and for the people, entrusted by the people with the responsibility of governing the country, organizing the entire people to fight for national resistance and construction, and resolving all relations of Vietnam in the international arena.

Voters in the suburbs of Hanoi vote for deputies to the 1st National Assembly on January 6, 1946.

The victory of the General Election affirmed the absolute trust of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh in the patriotism of our people. At the same time, it also demonstrated the people's aspiration for democracy and the strength of the great national unity bloc.

The victory of the General Election, as President Ho Chi Minh said in the first session of the first National Assembly, was “the result of the sacrifices and struggles of our ancestors, it was the result of the heroic solidarity and struggle of all our Vietnamese compatriots, the solidarity of all compatriots regardless of age, young, big or small, including all religions, all ethnic groups on the territory of Vietnam, closely united into one block, sacrificing without fear of danger to fight for independence for the Fatherland”.

Special issue of the National Assembly published on General Election Day.

The General Election on January 6, 1946 was a major historical event, opening the process of building a new democratic regime; it was the beginning and development of the National Assembly, a democratic institution, a pillar in the rule of law state of the people, by the people and for the people. More than 70 years have passed, the first General Election in 1946 left us with many valuable lessons.

The first general election and the birth of the National Assembly marked the great role of President Ho Chi Minh. At the meeting on October 30, 1946, the National Assembly approved the "proposal to honor President Ho Chi Minh as the first citizen of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam" now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The activities and leadership of the entire people of the National Assembly were one of the important initial factors creating all the victories of our country's revolution.

After the general election, the people elected 333 National Assembly deputies from thousands of candidates and nominees. Of these, the North had 152 people, the Central region 108 and the South 73. There were 10 female deputies.

Over the past 70 years of formation and development, the Vietnamese National Assembly has grown steadily, in which legislative activities have received increasing attention, the process of improving the quality of legal documents and ordinances has been gradually perfected, the legal system has served the requirements of economic, cultural and social development, strengthening national defense and security, expanding foreign relations, ensuring the implementation of basic rights and obligations of citizens, contributing to consolidating and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law state of Vietnam.

Peace

(Synthetic)