With No Opposition, Communist Party Secures Near-Total Control of Việt Nam’s National Assembly 

 

 

The Vietnamese Magazine | 23 March 2026

The ruling Communist Party has secured near-total control of the National Assembly following the 2026 nationwide elections, underscoring the continued absence of political competition in the country’s electoral system.

According to official results released on March 21, the vast majority of the 500 seats in the National Assembly were won by members of the Communist Party. 

While the number of non-party deputies increased slightly compared to the previous term, these candidates remain a small minority and do not constitute an organized opposition.

Việt Nam does not permit opposition political parties, and all candidates for elections must undergo a multi-stage vetting process overseen by the Communist Party and affiliated organizations. As a result, even candidates labeled “independent” often emerge from within or are approved by the existing political structure.

The 2026 elections also drew attention to the composition of candidate pools in key constituencies. In Hà Nội’s first electoral unit, General Secretary Tô Lâm was among five candidates competing for three seats. All the candidates in the race were Communist Party members, including two women working as ward-level civil servants, a local party secretary, and a military general.

The inclusion of lower-ranking candidates alongside top leadership figures has raised questions about the competitiveness of such races. In this case, both female ward officials ultimately lost, while senior figures, including Tô Lâm, who came out first, secured seats in the legislature.

Observers note that such electoral arrangements are not uncommon in Việt Nam, where candidate lists are often structured to ensure the election of key political figures. 

Although multiple candidates may formally compete for a limited number of seats, the absence of independent political organizations and the centralized vetting process significantly shape electoral outcomes.

Beyond individual races, broader concerns persist regarding transparency in the electoral process. Previous reporting has highlighted the lack of publicly available data on vote counts and percentages for individual candidates, making it difficult to independently assess voter preferences or the competitiveness of specific contests.

The rising cost of organizing nationwide elections has also drawn scrutiny. While official figures indicate increasing expenditures, detailed breakdowns of campaign spending and allocation remain unclear, contributing to ongoing questions about accountability.

Despite these concerns, the Vietnamese authorities continue to present the elections as evidence of broad public participation and political stability. 

Voter turnout is typically reported at high levels, and the process is framed as a mechanism for selecting representatives across different sectors of society.

However, the absence of opposition parties and the dominance of a single political organization continue to shape both the structure and the outcomes of Việt Nam’s electoral system. 

As the new National Assembly begins its term in April, questions remain about how accurately it reflects the will of the electorate. 

 

 

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