Election campaign: Action program must be close to reality

According to voters, candidates must have a specific action program and when they make a promise to the people, they must ensure that promise is fulfilled.

After the third consultative conference, starting from the announcement of the official list of candidates (April 27, 2016), and ending 24 hours before the start of voting, agencies, organizations, and units will organize meetings with voters for candidates to campaign for the election. What many voters are concerned about is that candidates must have a specific action plan and when they make a promise to the people, they must ensure that they can fulfill that promise.

According to the Law on Election of Deputies to the National Assembly and People's Councils, the principles of election campaigns are conducted democratically, publicly, equally, in accordance with the law, ensuring social order and security.

People look at the list of candidates (Photo: KTĐT)

The election campaign of candidates is carried out in the form of: Meeting and contacting voters in the locality where they are running to present their actions if elected as a National Assembly or People's Council delegate. However, there are many opinions that candidates for National Assembly must have a specific action program; voters are more interested in what the candidate will do if he becomes a delegate and what he will do to truly represent the voice of voters.

Reality shows that voters do not want to hear candidates make promises such as: if elected, I will contribute to strengthening and improving the quality of the National Assembly's activities; together with the National Assembly, I will issue laws and policies, ensure democracy, and improve people's lives; will question the heads of the Government and ministries to the end... That is indeed the function and duty of a National Assembly delegate, but those promises do not really reflect the wishes of voters in the election area.

Mr. Bui Van Xuyen, Standing Member of the Law Committee of the National Assembly, said that for first-time candidates, there should be a specific action plan, especially for National Assembly deputies who have experience working in a National Assembly term. When campaigning for elections, they should not be subjective, and should even prepare more carefully to reflect the wishes of voters.

“The action program of the National Assembly candidate, the important thing is that the candidate must speak the voice of the voters to the National Assembly forum and to the Central and local agencies to express the thoughts and aspirations of the people. Resolve the aspirations of the people, meet the requirements and aspirations of the people, including economic and social development, maintain political stability of the country. All of those aspirations are legitimate aspirations of the people. The 5-year action program must reflect that content,” said Mr. Bui Van Xuyen.

Speaking with VOV reporter, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Thang, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of People's Representative Newspaper, shared that if the campaign program of National Assembly candidate is rich, practical, and profound, voters can question the candidate's action program.

At the same time, candidates can debate about the action program. Through debate, it will be clearer, linked to the capacity, responsibility, time, and ability of the candidate to implement the action program.

In fact, through questioning the candidate's action program, it will be a highlight for the delegate, if elected, in addition to the general work contributing to the National Assembly, to also carry out his/her own action program and promises, bringing specific contributions to the country and the election region.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Thang, when meeting voters, in addition to being questioned, voters will know which candidate represents them, believe in the steps of the elected candidates to realize their will and aspirations, and make practical contributions to the activities of the National Assembly and the People's Council. This is an important point in the election campaign process, how to make the campaign process not formal, but substantial and profound as promised to the people when being trusted and given important responsibilities. This is the point that makes the election campaign become lively and practical".

The promises of candidates will be the basis for voters to monitor the work of candidates once elected as National Assembly deputies during their term of office. It is also necessary to have a mechanism to dismiss National Assembly and People's Council deputies who do not keep their solemn promises to voters and people during the election campaign./.

According to VOV