VietNamNet Bridge – The people who independently stand for the 13th National Assembly election total 81, from 21 provinces and cities.

 

An independent candidate registers for the election at the Hanoi Department of Justice
According to Nguyen Van Pha, Vice Chair of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, 42 provinces and cities don’t have independent candidates while Hanoi has 30 and HCM City has 22 candidates.

 

After the second consultation meeting, the total number of candidates for the upcoming National Assembly in the country is 1,088, including 183 nominated by central agencies and 905 by local governments while the number of NA deputies is 500.

 

Pha said that the qualifications of nominees is higher than the previous tenure.

 

The third consultation meeting is scheduled in mid-April to finalize the list of candidates for the 13th NA election.

 

The NA election will take place on May 22 2010. This will be the first time people will be casting their votes for the NA and People’s Councils at all levels on the same day.

 

The Constitution of Vietnam recognizes the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as "the highest organ of state power." The National Assembly, a 493-member unicameral body elected to a five-year term, meets twice a year. The assembly appoints the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam, the Head of the Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam, and the 21-member Cabinet.

 

The National Assembly is the highest government organization and the highest-level representative body of the people. It has the power to draw up, adopt, and amend the constitution and to make and amend laws. It also has the responsibility to legislate and implement state plans and budgets. Through its constitution-making powers it defines its own role and the roles of the Vietnamese State President, the Vietnamese Government, the local people's councils and people's committees, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuracy. The assembly can elect and remove members of the Council of Ministers, the chief justice of the Supreme People's Court, and the procurator general of the People's Supreme Organ of Control. Finally, it has the power to initiate or conclude wars and to assume other duties and powers it deems necessary. The term of each session of the National Assembly is five years, and meetings are convened twice a year, or more frequently if called for by the Council of State.

 

PV