Resolution on People’s Councils’ election structure issued

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man has signed a resolution outlining guidelines for determining the projected structure and allocation of candidates for the all-level People’s Councils for the 2026-2031 term.

The resolution states that based on the number of People’s Council members to be elected and the principle of ensuring an adequate number of candidates under the Law on the Election of Deputies to the NA and People’s Councils, the standing committees of provincial People’s Councils, after consulting the standing boards of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and the People’s Committees at the same level, prepare detailed plans.

The plans will specify the structure and allocation of candidates from political, socio-political and social organisations, armed forces units, state agencies, subordinate administrative units, and local economic or public administration units for nominations to the provincial People’s Councils.

Similar guidelines will apply to nominations to the communal People’s Councils. The planning process must ensure democracy, fairness, transparency and objectivity, with emphasis on candidate quality. Candidates should exemplify integrity, ethics, prestige and intellectual capability.

The structure must achieve a reasonable balance of representation from political, socio-political and social organisations, the armed forces, state agencies, lower-level administrative units (at the provincial level), villages and residential areas (at the communal level), as well as local public units and businesses.

The NA approves a resolution setting the date for the nationwide election of deputies to the 16th NA and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026 2031 term (Photo: VNA)

The resolution also mandates an increase in the number of full-time council members and a balanced ratio of representatives from religious and ethnic minorities, genders, age groups, scientists, intellectuals, artists, workers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and members of professional associations and trade groups.

Specifically, the resolution sets quantitative targets to ensure broad representation. It calls for a reasonable proportion of ethnic minority candidates aligned with local demographics and conditions, aiming to achieve the projected rate of elected ethnic minority deputies. Women should make up at least 35% of official candidate lists at each level, with a target of around 30% elected. Non-Party members should account for no less than 10% of official candidate lists, while young candidates under 40 should make up at least 15%. Deputies from the 2021-2026 term seeking re-election are expected to represent no less than 30% of each level’s council membership.

Chairman Man also signed a resolution providing detailed guidance on holding voters’ conferences, nominating candidates for communal-level People’s Councils at villages and residential areas, and conducting the consultation, nomination and listing of candidates for NA and People’s Council elections in by-elections./.