According to Petr Tsvetov, 80 years ago, on January 6, 1946, Viet Nam held its first General Election to elect the National Assembly. All Vietnamese citizens aged 18 and above had the right to vote for National Assembly deputies — those representing the people’s will and aspirations through deciding important issues and making laws, thereby helping guide and manage the country’s development.
The establishment of the National Assembly based on the will and aspirations of the vast majority of people nationwide carried profound significance. After all, the Communist Party of Viet Nam coming to power and proclaiming Viet Nam’s independence was the achievement of a mass popular movement, even though its scope of activity had been limited.
At that time, 89% of eligible citizens participated in the vote, and the people affirmed their trust in President Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh Front founded by him. Laws and other decisions issued by the National Assembly after the General Election carried an entirely different weight: they were lawful decisions grounded in principles that the civilised world in the 20th century aspired towards. Accordingly, no one had the right to question the legitimacy of the Government headed by leader Ho Chi Minh. From that point, the right of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam to develop independently was once again affirmed.
Later, talented Party and State figure Dong Sy Nguyen once said: the historical significance of the first National Assembly lay precisely in the transformation of people’s lives — turning them from slaves into masters of the country, placing power in the people’s hands, and winning freedom and independence.
Dr Petr Tsvetov stressed that the role of the Vietnamese people’s great leader Ho Chi Minh was decisive to the success of the 1946 General Election. Amid a complex situation, President Ho Chi Minh skilfully ensured the election was held successfully and that the results were recognised by all domestic political forces.
According to Petr Tsvetov, the first National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam shaped electoral procedures in line with the most democratic and progressive principles: direct elections, secret ballots, equality and universal suffrage.
Eighty years ago, President Ho Chi Minh wrote: “Those who are elected must strive to firmly uphold the independence of the Fatherland and strive to secure happiness for our compatriots. Always remember and practise this: For the nation’s benefit, forget family interest; for the common good, forget personal gain. Make yourselves worthy of the compatriots, worthy of the Fatherland.”
Another major achievement of the first National Assembly was passing the country’s fundamental law — the Constitution. Viet Nam’s Constitution recorded the achievements of the August Revolution, declared the independence and sovereignty of the Vietnamese people, equality among all citizens, freedom of speech, the press, assembly and religion, and recognised private property rights. These core democratic principles were inherited through Viet Nam’s later Constitutions and are present more fully in the current Constitution (adopted in 2013).
The Russian researcher concluded that 80 years ago, one day before the General Election, President Ho Chi Minh issued an “Appeal to the People to Vote”, published in Cuu Quoc newspaper, issue No. 134, dated January 5, 1946, in very simple and easy-to-understand language: “Tomorrow is a day that will lead our people onto a new path.” And indeed, his prediction became reality. Over the past eight decades, Viet Nam has been moving along that new path, winning success after success, and confidently stepping into a new era.
