Tens of millions of Vietnamese were voting on Sunday (15 March) to elect members of parliament from a list of candidates almost exclusively fielded by the Communist Party, ensuring the party's continued overwhelming dominance.
The five-yearly elections will see between 73.5 million and 79 million voters choose 500 members of the National Assembly and representatives for local councils.
Nearly 93% of the 864 parliamentary candidates are Communist Party members, while about 7.5% are independents, according to the National Election Council, down from 8.5% in 2021.
Voters interviewed by Reuters at polling stations were largely upbeat, expressing hope that their representatives would continue modernising Vietnam, whose booming economy is undergoing major reforms introduced by top leader To Lam.
"I hope the representatives elected will guide young people in the right direction and introduce policies that better support youth," said 22-year-old Phan Nam Khanh, who cast his vote for the first time.
Election results will be announced on 23 March, parliament chairman Tran Thanh Man said, according to local media. Turnout has exceeded 99% in each of the last seven parliamentary elections, according to the state news agency.
The opening plenary session is scheduled for early April, when lawmakers are expected to approve the state's top leaders previously nominated by the party, including the president and prime minister.
Party officials are expected to formally announce their nominees for state leadership before parliament's opening session.
The move would allow the former head of public security to hold both powerful roles for five years, aligning Vietnam's political structure more closely with that of neighbouring China, where Xi Jinping also occupies both positions.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parl...
Ukrainian drone strikes reportedly hit an oil depot in Ust-Labinsk and a military site near St. Petersburg, causing a fire but no casualties, accordin...
In a workshop surrounded by the wreckage of war, workers in Gaza are giving a second life to small leisure boats once used for family outings and swim...
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed, and three others were injured after two cargo vessels were hit in a drone attack in the Sea of Azov, Azerba...
The United States has approved the possible sale of five Seahawk maritime helicopters to New Zealand in a deal valued at $1.5 billion, as Wellington m...
Conflicts well beyond Southeast Asia are set to dominate talks as leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc gather in the Philippines, with the crisis in the Middle East looming large over fuel‑import‑dependent economies.
The European Broadcasting Union and global entertainment company Voxovation have announced that the first-ever Eurovision Song Contest Asia will take place in 2026, with Bangkok selected to host the inaugural edition.
Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to cancel 23 flights per week across several domestic routes from April because of looming jet fuel shortages, Vietnam's aviation authority said.
Brussels and Hanoi are set to sign a historic diplomatic upgrade. The partnership focuses on de-risking supply chains, tapping critical minerals, and expanding semiconductor capacity.
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed, and three others were injured after two cargo vessels were hit in a drone attack in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday, as Russia blamed Ukraine for the strike.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
The new AnewZ documentary, TARGET: Yerevan, builds its explosive case on exclusive, secret recordings originally published by Minval Politika.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
Armenia will hold parliamentary elections on 7 June 2026, a vote that will shape the country’s political direction for the next five years. Understanding how the electoral system converts votes into parliamentary power is key to following the outcome and its wider regional implications.
People across Gaza are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions struggling to access food, clean water, shelter and medical care as the conflict continues.
Ukrainian drone strikes reportedly hit an oil depot in Ust-Labinsk and a military site near St. Petersburg, causing a fire but no casualties, according to local Russian authorities.
The United States has approved the possible sale of five Seahawk maritime helicopters to New Zealand in a deal valued at $1.5 billion, as Wellington moves to strengthen its armed forces.
The United States has announced an additional $38 million to support efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as health officials warn that the virus could spread further without stronger action.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment