Hanoi (VNA) - The voters’ ballot must not stop at the polling station, but translate into quality legislation, effective oversight, timely and sound policy decisions that meet national development needs in the new era, said Party General Secretary To Lam.
General Secretary Lam made the statement during a national conference in Hanoi on March 31 to review the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term, held in both in-person and online formats.
He declared the March 15 election a great success. A standout achievement was a robust turnout of voters nationwide. The quality, structure, and representativeness of elected deputies improved markedly, supported by early, systematic, and tightly coordinated preparations at central and local levels. Strides were also made in digital transformation and technological application, while political security and social order were maintained throughout.
From these results, he spotlighted five key lessons, saying that it is essential to ensure centralised, unified, consistent leadership and full accountability across the entire political system. The election benefited from the close, timely, and unified direction of the Politburo, Secretariat, and the National Election Council (NEC), alongside coordinated efforts of central agencies and proactive, responsible involvement of local Party committees, authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), and mass organisations at all levels.
Every stage, from consultation, nomination, verification, and list publication to voter meetings, voting, and e-counting, was transparent, objective, and strictly regulated. Success, he stressed, was not only about filling seats but also selecting deputies with integrity, competence, decisiveness, strong action ability, and genuine commitment to public service.
According to him, the record voter turnout stemmed not only from effective organisation but from voters feeling respected, well-informed, and properly enabled to exercise their civic rights. Early voting in certain special areas reflected a firm commitment to inclusiveness, ensuring that no voter was left out of the national democratic festival. This, he said, is an important lesson in substantive voting rights across all regions and conditions.
Information and communication efforts must be renewed in both content and method. The election showed that blending grassroots outreach with digital platforms, population data, advanced technology, and diverse media channels markedly improves public engagement, guidance, and consensus.
Building on this success, the 16th NA and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term must be bodies of reform, action, effectiveness, and connection to the people. Every NA’s decision, oversight activity, and law must aim at the highest goal of serving the nation and the people while creating new impetus for rapid and sustainable development, he said.
With this confidence, he expressed belief that the lessons drawn from this election will be carried forward and further refined, forming a solid foundation for the 16th NA to fulfil its responsibilities before the Party, people, and history.
In response, NA Chairman and NEC Chairman Tran Thanh Man affirmed that the entire political system, including the NA, Government, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), Party committees, authorities, and VFF chapters at all levels, will heed and follow the General Secretary’s instructions.
He vowed that the NEC will deliver a comprehensive report on the election and the verification of the deputies’ eligibility to the 16th NA’s upcoming first session./.
