Vietnam Holds Parliamentary Elections as Communist Party Poised to Retain Control
Nearly 79 million voters cast ballots for 500-seat National Assembly; voter turnout expected to exceed 99% amid tight party control
HANOI — March 15, 2026 — Polls opened across Vietnam on Sunday for the country’s five-yearly parliamentary elections, with nearly 79 million voters eligible to cast ballots for the 500-seat National Assembly and local People’s Councils, in an exercise observers describe as a formality in the Communist Party-ruled state .
At exactly 7:00 a.m., voters began streaming into more than 72,000 polling stations nationwide, with several locations conducting early voting due to local conditions, according to the National Election Council . The election, which will conclude at 7:00 p.m., except in cases where voting is extended by law but no later than 9:00 p.m., represents the 16th National Assembly election since Vietnam’s reunification in 1975 .
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Of the 864 candidates running for parliamentary seats, approximately 93 percent are members of the Communist Party of Vietnam, with only 65 candidates—or 7.5 percent—running as independents, a slight decrease from the 8.5 percent recorded in the 2021 election . In the outgoing National Assembly, the Communist Party controlled 97 percent of the seats .
High Turnout Expected Despite Limited Choice
Historical data from Vietnam News Agency indicates that voter turnout in the past seven National Assembly elections has consistently exceeded 99 percent, a figure reflecting both civic participation and the party’s extensive mobilization machinery .
In the capital Hanoi, patriotic red-and-yellow banners adorned lampposts and traffic lights, with slogans extolling the “national festival” where people “eagerly cast ballots,” according to AFP reporters at the scene .
Elderly voters, many dressed in formal suits or traditional costumes, were among the first to cast their ballots. Nguyen Thi Kim, a 73-year-old Hanoi resident, told AFP at a polling station in a high-rise residential block: “I do expect top leaders after this election will make major changes to make our country better” .
At polling station No. 2 in Ba Dinh ward, Hanoi, Party General Secretary To Lam was among the first to vote, appearing on live television afterward to state that the election aimed “to choose the most prestigious people to continue leading the country to more development” .
President Luong Cuong voted at polling station No. 26 in Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi, while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh cast his ballot at polling station No. 21 in Tay Ho ward. National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man voted in Ho Chi Minh City .
Limited Political Space
Despite the large-scale electoral exercise, analysts note that Vietnam’s single-party system offers voters no meaningful choice in determining the country’s leadership.
“More or less a window-dressing institution, there won’t be any big surprises at the vote,” Nguyen Khac Giang of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore told AFP . “However, top personnel selections—particularly the prime minister and the president—will carry significant implications for the ongoing reform process.”
Among the new parliament’s first tasks when it convenes next month will be to confirm top leaders already selected by the Communist Party at its twice-a-decade congress in January . The party’s 14th National Congress reaffirmed To Lam as general secretary, the most powerful position in Vietnam’s political system, and elected 19 officials to the Politburo, the party’s highest decision-making body .
Lam, who has implemented dramatic reforms over nearly two years at the helm, slashing bureaucratic red tape and pushing major infrastructure investments to boost economic growth, is widely expected to become president as well—a post requiring parliamentary approval . If confirmed, he would be the first person to have secured the top two jobs at a party congress, rather than stepping in following a holder’s death .
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Candidate Profile and Selection Process
The candidate list for this election includes several prominent business leaders who are also Communist Party members. Among them are Nguyen Thanh Tung, president of Vietcombank, Vietnam’s largest bank by market value, and Le Hong Minh, chairman of technology company VNG, which operates the country’s most popular messaging application Zalo .
Approximately 55 percent of parliamentary candidates are male, a proportion consistent with the previous election. In the 2021 election, women secured approximately 30 percent of parliamentary seats .
Ta Thi Yen, Deputy Head of the Standing Office of the National Election Council, reported that election work was proceeding “seriously, in accordance with the law” and taking place “very urgently, orderly, and safely” .
According to preliminary data compiled by 2:15 p.m., approximately 61.76 million voters had participated, reaching 80.63 percent of registered voters. Nine northern mountainous provinces—including Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, and Tuyen Quang—reported turnout exceeding 90 percent . At least 380 communes, wards and polling areas had completed voting with 100 percent participation, particularly in armed forces areas and some highland regions .
In An Giang province, 108-year-old voter Phung Thi Quat cast her ballot at Polling Station No. 8 in Lo Bon hamlet, Kien Luong commune .
Mixed Feelings Among Younger Voters
Despite the patriotic atmosphere, some younger Vietnamese expressed indifference toward the electoral process, reflecting the reality of one-party rule where major policies and projects are decided by senior cadres rather than elected representatives.
“I don’t vote because I think my vote doesn’t matter,” Phuong Anh, a 25-year-old administrative worker in the central city of Da Nang, told AFP .
Such sentiments stand in contrast to official media portrayals emphasizing civic duty and patriotic participation.
National and Local Elections
Beyond the National Assembly, Sunday’s elections also determined representatives for People’s Councils at provincial and commune levels. According to National Election Council data, 4,217 candidates are competing for 2,552 provincial People’s Council seats—a ratio of 1.65 candidates per seat—while 120,873 candidates are contesting 72,611 commune-level People’s Council seats, or 1.66 candidates per seat .
The election represents “an important political event for the country, taking place shortly after the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam,” according to an official statement from VietnamPlus, the state news agency . It serves as “a concrete step in implementing the congress’s Resolution in connection with the Party’s personnel work” .
International Observers’ Perspective
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) framed the election in developmental terms rather than democratic ones. UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Ramla Khalidi told Vietnam News Agency that “the election marks an important milestone in Vietnam’s development trajectory as it takes place at a moment when the country is entering a new phase of policy priorities and institutional reforms that will shape its next stage of development” .
Dr. Julia Roknifard, senior lecturer in international relations at Taylor’s University in Malaysia, emphasized the legislature’s role in “promoting economic development and strengthening multilateral cooperation amid a rapidly changing global landscape” .
Economic Context
Vietnam, a Southeast Asian nation of approximately 100 million people, has emerged as an economic success story, boasting eight percent economic growth last year and attracting substantial foreign investment as multinational corporations diversify supply chains away from China .
This economic dynamism coexists with Vietnam’s status as a one-party state that regularly jails critics and does not tolerate organized political opposition. Human rights organizations have documented the imprisonment of journalists, activists, and dissidents in recent years.
Results Timeline
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man told local media that election results will be announced on March 23 . The newly elected National Assembly is expected to convene in early April, where it will formally approve the party’s nominees for the country’s top leadership positions, including president and prime minister .
For most Vietnamese, the outcome is already determined. As the ISEAS Institute’s Giang noted: “As more or less a window-dressing institution, there won’t be any big surprises at the vote”
SOURCES / INPUTS
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)/AFP: One-party Vietnam holds parliamentary election
Vietnam+: Nationwide voting for 16th National Assembly, People’s Councils for 2026-2031 begins
Voice of Vietnam: 78 million Vietnamese voters cast their ballots in March 15 election
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