It is impossible to distort the democracy of elections of deputies to the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels.

Cannot distort the truth

Recently, BBC Vietnamese interviewed a number of people who were said to have “self-nominated for National Assembly deputies” in previous elections, saying that “the government used mass forces to eliminate independent candidates through consultation rounds”. Referring to the consultation work, they said that those who attended the voters’ conference “had low knowledge, or were retirees but had no critical thinking, always listened to the Party and the State, and were therefore ready to slander people they did not know”. Not only that, they also said that independent candidates were often “defamed”, even arrested and detained before the conference to collect voters’ opinions at their place of residence… These are completely distorted, fabricated and very dangerous voices.

Reality has proven that since the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) until now, the right of citizens to vote and run for the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels has always been clearly stipulated in the Constitution.

Immediately after the successful August Revolution in 1945, to organize the first General Election, Article 18 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam stipulated: "All Vietnamese citizens, from 18 years old, regardless of gender,have the right to voteexcept for the mentally ill and those who have lost their civil rights. Candidates must be people with the right to vote, must be at least 21 years old, and must be able to read and write the national language. Citizens in the army also have the right to vote and run for election”. The rights to vote and run for election of citizens have been more clearly defined in later Constitutions. Most recently, Article 27 of the 2013 Constitution stipulates: "Citizens aged 18 or older have the right to vote and those aged 21 or older have the right to run for election to the National Assembly and People's Councils. The exercise of these rights is prescribed by law".

Election propaganda poster by author Bui Van Minh Triet, Tay Ninh.

Not only is it stipulated in the Constitution, but the exercise of citizens' rights to vote and run for election in Vietnam is always respected and protected in reality. Every Vietnamese citizen, when qualified, has the right to vote and run for election to the National Assembly and People's Council. The exercise of the right to vote and run for election is completely public, democratic, and equal. Any act that obstructs citizens' exercise of their right to vote and run for election is a violation of the Constitution and will be strictly handled according to the law. This reality has completely refuted all the arguments of hostile, reactionary, and opportunistic political forces.are spreading distortion, misrepresentation.

Prepare for public, democratic and legal elections

According to the law and instructions and guidelines of the Politburo, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the National Election Council, the Fatherland Front (VFF) and relevant agencies, candidates for the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term must go through 5 steps and 3 rounds of consultation, including: Organizing the first consultation conference to agree on the composition and number of candidates for National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies; Agencies, organizations and units to introduce candidates for National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies; Organizing the second consultation conference to agree on the preliminary list of candidates for National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies; Organizing a conference to collect voters' opinions and trust in candidates for National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies; Organizing the third consultation conference to select and make a list of qualified candidates for National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies.

The organization of consultation and introduction of candidates for the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels is identified as a very important stage in the election organization process. The goal of the consultation process is to select and introduce truly representative people with full qualifications, capacity, moral qualities, courage, political stance and loyalty to the Fatherland, the people and the Constitution, ensuring the structure and composition of representatives for the great national unity bloc for voters to choose and vote to elect as National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies at all levels to participate in activities in state power agencies. Therefore, this work is carried out very closely by the Fatherland Front at all levels from the central to local levels in coordination with the government and functional agencies.

The registration of documents, receipt of documents, and preparation of preliminary lists of candidates or nominated candidates were conducted in accordance with regulations and conveniently. The Fatherland Front at all levels and competent agencies have not received any feedback on any acts of obstruction or causing difficulties for candidates for the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels.

The second consultative conference agreed to establish a preliminary list of 24 candidates for the 15th National Assembly and 206 candidates for the 18th Provincial People's Council, term 2021 - 2026. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Consultative conferences, especiallyconference to gather voters' opinions at the place of residenceto review and trust self-nominated candidates and nominated candidates in a democratic, objective manner, in accordance with the provisions of the Election Law and Resolution No. 1186/2021/UBTVQH14 of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on detailed regulations and guidance on organizing voters' conferences. Accordingly, for places with less than 100 voters, a plenary conference of voters will be organized to collect opinions on candidates for National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies and must ensure that the number of voters attending is at least 50% of the total number of voters summoned. For places with 100 voters or more, a plenary conference or a conference of voters representing households can be organized and must ensure that at least 55% of voters attend the conference.

In addition to voters, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the People's Council at the commune level, candidates for National Assembly deputies, candidates for People's Council deputies, representatives of agencies, organizations, units, villages and residential groups that have introduced candidates are invited to attend the conference. Based on the comments and trust of voters at the place of residence, the Standing Committee of the Fatherland Front Committee at all levels will comprehensively and objectively evaluate the candidates to negotiate and create a list of qualified, exemplary people worthy of the voters' trust... Self-nominated candidates as well as recommended candidates, Party members as well as non-Party members are equal in carrying out the stages and steps according to the election process.

It is clear that there is no such thing as people attending the voters' conference "having low knowledge, or being retired but not critical" and there is no such thing as "defaming" self-nominated candidates. Those who are not introduced to the list of candidates for National Assembly and People's Council deputies are because they are not trusted by voters, do not meet the standards according to the law and election regulations, not because any organization or individual "seeks to eliminate independent candidates" as the hostile, reactionary forces and opportunistic, politically dissatisfied elements have claimed.

Be alert and proactive in fighting

It is completely normal for a number of subjects, including Tran Quoc Khanh, to be prosecuted and temporarily detained by the Security Agency to serve the investigation. According to documents from the Security Investigation Agency of Ninh Binh Provincial Police, from the end of 2018 to the end of 2020, this subject continuously went on social networks to spread distorted, fabricated information, defaming the government, causing confusion among the people; denying the leadership role of the Party and opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam... The Security Investigation Agency prosecuted and temporarily detained Tran Quoc Khanh for the act of: "Making, storing, disseminating or propagating information, documents, and items aimed at opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" as prescribed in Article 117 of the Penal Code 2015 to serve the investigation of those who have violated the law. The Security Agency performs this work in accordance with its functions and requirements. All citizens are equal before the law. Candidates or non-candidates, independent candidates or nominated candidates, Party members or non-Party members... regardless of who they are, if they violate the law, they will be punished.

Voters at polling stations in Vinh City looked at the biographies of the delegates to choose those who are truly virtuous and talented. Photo: Duc Anh

The right to run for election is a fundamental right of citizens as stipulated in the Constitution. The Party, the government and voters nationwide always respect the right to vote and run for election of citizens, of course they must be citizens who meet the standards and conditions. We are determined not to introduce candidates for election to the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels who are not qualified and not worthy of representing the will and aspirations of the people.

In fact, the tone that the authorities have prosecuted and temporarily detained a number of subjects in order to "eliminate independent candidates" is completely speculative, distorted, causing information disturbance, inciting sabotage of the election of XV National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies at all levels of our Party, State and People. More than ever, we need to be alert to identify, proactively and resolutely fight to defeat the insidious and dangerous plots and tricks of hostile, reactionary forces, opportunists and politically dissatisfied elements. This is a very important task to ensure the success of our election./.