VIET NAM
Parliamentary Chamber: Quoc-Hoi

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1997

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for VIET NAM <<<

Chamber:
  Quoc-Hoi


Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

  20 July 1997


Purpose of elections:

  Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.


Background and outcome of elections:

  The previous parliamentary elections (for 395 seats) had been held in July 1992. For those of 1997, 666 candidates - including 106 independents and a record number of women (202) - stood for the expanded National Assembly’s 450 seats; all candidatures were approved by the Viet Nam Fatherland Front - the umbrella socio-political organisation headed by the ruling Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) and also comprising the main national mass organisations such as the women’s union, trade unions and religious groups. Most of the candidates were locally nominated and 141 of them were « centrally selected », i.e. representing the central Government or state and mass organisations. Another 11 were « self-nominated ».

The campaign period was marked by candidates’ meetings organised by the Fatherland Front and attended by representatives of the electorate. Issues discussed centred on policies of reform, particularly in the trade and banking sectors. Polling day - acknowledged as more democratic than all recent elections - was marked by a large turnout. Among those elected were three independents, 117 women (an increase of 44), 78 candidates of ethnic minority groups and 384 CPV members. All but 108 of the 450 Deputies were newcomers to the Assembly.

On 24 September, Mr. Tran Duc Luong was elected President of the Republic by the National Assembly. The next day, Mr. Phan Van Khai was chosen Prime Minister. Both are members of the CPV. This party's leading role in Vietnamese society was enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.

On 29 September, finally, a reshuffle of the Council of Ministers was approved.

STATISTICS
Round no 1 (20 July 1997): Elections results  
Number of registered electors 43,672,683
Voters 43,493,624 (99,59%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers 307,868
Valid votes 43,185,756

Round no 1: Distribution of seats  
Political Group Total
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) 384
Non-party members 63
Independents 3

Distribution of seats according to sex:  
Men: 333
Women: 117
Percent of women: 26.00

Distribution of seats according to age:  
Under 40 years 84
41-50 years 155
51-55 years 106
56-60 years 58
61-65 years 24
66-70 years 14
Over 71 years 9


<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for VIET NAM <<<

Copyright © 1997 Inter-Parliamentary Union