According to observers, in every National Assembly election, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and its authorities always begin by calling for talented and virtuous people to run for office as National Assembly deputies.
However, when the official list of candidates is announced, a sense of regret once again spreads through public opinion. In reality, Vietnam is not lacking in talent, but the path for such people to become representatives of the people seems to be growing ever narrower.
The figures and the way candidates were arranged in the 16th National Assembly election once again suggest that the political system appears to be deliberately preventing non-Party individuals from becoming National Assembly deputies.
According to data from the National Election Council, there were 65 non-Party individuals among a total of 864 candidates, accounting for 7.52%. Yet, in an inexplicable discrepancy, the actual list recorded only 64 non-Party candidates, equivalent to 7.41%. This inconsistency has raised major questions about the transparency of the election process for the 16th National Assembly.
Even more concerning, looking back over the last four National Assembly terms, the number of non-Party deputies elected has declined alarmingly. Specifically, it fell from 43 in the 12th term to only 14 in the 15th term.
The trend of “Party-izing” the legislative body has become clearer than ever, completely contrary to the spirit of “valuing and employing the virtuous and talented” that President Hồ Chí Minh once pursued during the election of the 1st National Assembly in 1946.
According to international observers, the weakening position of non-Party candidates is reflected not only in their numbers but also in the deliberate tactic of arranging candidates within electoral units.
In practice, most non-Party candidates are pushed into a “David versus Goliath” situation, having to compete directly against Politburo members or Central Committee members of the Party in the same electoral district.
For example, in Đà Nẵng, two non-Party candidates had to face Trần Cẩm Tú, Permanent Member of the Party Secretariat; and in Huế, they had to compete against Minister Lê Hoài Trung. These are examples that cannot be concealed.
Technically, this arrangement may be legal, but politically, it is almost a “death sentence” predetermined for self-nominated candidates.
According to experts, in a totalitarian political system where the Party organization plays the decisive role, independent candidates, no matter how talented they may be, cannot overcome veteran politicians who hold important positions.
In addition, the “tightening ring” known as the so-called consultation process remains the biggest barrier for independent candidates who wish to enter the National Assembly.
This rigorous screening process, led by the Fatherland Front under Party direction, is seen by observers as a tool for eliminating sharp and capable candidates from the very outset.
Instead of being a fair contest of talent, elections conducted under the process of “the Party selects, the people vote” continue to preserve an approval mechanism for personnel already chosen in advance, unchanged and unquestionable.
The deliberate placement of non-Party candidates within the same electoral district also reveals a vote-splitting strategy, making their chances of winning even more fragile.
History has shown that a country can only prosper if it knows how to seek out and welcome talented people, regardless of their background or political views, as long as they are devoted to building the nation.
If the Communist Party of Vietnam truly does not discriminate, skillfully employs talented people to help build the country, and abandons its calculations for comprehensive control of power, then there may be hope that the goal of leading the country into a “new era of rising” can become a reality.
As long as talented non-Party individuals are still treated as unwelcome people who dare to run for the National Assembly, then innovative thinking and independent criticism, which are essential drivers of development, will have no room to flourish.
Tra My – Thoibao.de
