Because voters and people nationwide have placed their trust and expectations in a truly worthy team of elected representatives who are virtuous, talented, courageous, and closely connected with the people.
The “call to arms” and consistent determination
The country is entering a new era of deep integration with increasingly high and fierce demands and challenges. This places a greater demand than ever before on the capacity and qualities of the team of elected representatives.
This is also the hope of voters ahead of the election to be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026. That belief, along with the immense expectations of voters and the people nationwide, has breathed warmth into every aspect of the country’s social life throughout this period.
More than a month ago, the “command” signal, signifying the determination, decisive involvement, and unified will and action of the entire political system for a crucial national event, the “national festival”—a festival for all citizens—was officially issued at the National Conference to implement the Politburo’s Directive on the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and representatives to the People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term, held in the Dien Hong Hall of the National Assembly.
The message is clear: the 2026 election will be held on the strictest “legal-procedural-personnel” foundation ever, in accordance with the spirit of the Politburo’s Directive No.46-CT/TW, which emphasises “not lowering standards for structural reasons” and “not allowing political opportunists to slip through.”
Accordingly, candidates, whether for the National Assembly or the People’s Councils, must fully meet the standards, ensuring they are truly exemplary in character, prestige, and ability, and are worthy and qualified to participate in the people’s highest representative bodies.
This is also the consistent viewpoint for this special election, as clearly stated by General Secretary To Lam at the conference: “We must select and nominate truly exemplary individuals in terms of character and ability. These must be comrades with firm political resolve, loyal to the Fatherland and the people, possessing both virtue and talent, and meeting all the legally stipulated standards.”
The General Secretary also emphasised the need to consider this as a guiding principle for the entire process, from nomination and consultation to selection. Because to select truly worthy representatives, the upcoming consultation and nomination process must uphold a high sense of responsibility, avoiding any favouritism or avoidance, thereby contributing to strengthening the people’s trust in the Party, the State, and the cause of national renewal.
In reality, an unqualified representative who is trusted and chosen will become a burden to the people, but a capable representative will be a driving force for national development.
This is the most accurate measure, the most practical verification of the trust that voters have placed in them. When entrusted with this trust, each elected representative must seriously fulfil their duties and know how to “match words with actions.”
Early, careful, and proper preparation
In the new term, voters want to see their representatives demonstrate this, staying close to reality, “speaking in a way the people understand, acting in a way the people trust,” listening to people’s concerns to convey them honestly in the parliamentary arena, and being subject to people's supervision. Because the people’s trust is an invaluable asset that can only be built through practical actions, intelligence, and sincerity.
Therefore, repeatedly emphasising the special importance of this election at the fourth session of the National Election Council on December 15, Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Chairman of the National Election Council, stated: Unlike previous elections, this election is taking place in the context of the political system and local government apparatus being continuously consolidated, reorganized, and reformed in accordance with the Central Committee’s resolutions.
This places very high demands on the quality of election preparation, ensuring adherence to procedures and regulations, especially personnel matters, which must be carried out according to the regulations of the competent authorities.
Voters nationwide expect the election to select truly qualified and capable representatives to realise the aspirations for development and contribute to the country’s steady progress in the new era. At the same time, voters also place their trust in a rigorous and transparent election process.
Highlighting some positive aspects of election preparation, from the initial stages to the present, the Chairman of the National Assembly assessed: There has been synchronised and active participation from the central to local levels; the preparation progress has been rapid and solid, especially the personnel work, which has been prepared early, carefully, and according to procedure. Security and order; and the application of information technology have shown significant progress, synchronised with population data... This is a very important new point compared to the previous election.
In particular, to meet the legitimate expectations of voters and the people nationwide, the National Election Council and the local Election Committees have implemented the synchronised application of population data and VNeID identification in voter registration.
This is a significant step forward in the application of digital transformation, not only helping to reduce errors and enhance transparency, but more importantly, creating maximum convenience and reducing inconvenience for citizens, ensuring the most accurate guarantee of citizens’ right to vote.
With little time left to prepare for the election and a large volume of work ahead, the Chairman of the National Election Council emphasised the requirement: The National Election Council must work decisively and scientifically, while also being extremely cautious and thorough in every decision.
