Our alleyway became plastered with posters last Wednesday night. Each poster has photos and details of candidates for both the Ward and District positions on the People’s Council and one of our regular drivers from this alley is running for the communal level elections.
The Viet Nam News reports that…
HA NOI ? The country is preparing for the People?s Council elections for the 2004-09 term to be held by the end of the month.
According to Viet Nam Fatherland Front?s Central Committee, the provinces now have 6,052 candidates, in which 32.4 per cent are women, 21 per cent are aged under 35 years old, non-Party members account for 24 per cent and ethnic minorities hold 20.1 per cent. Among the 6,052 candidates, 3,871 will be elected.
At the provincial level, there are 77 people or 1.2 per cent who have nominated themselves as independent candidates for the People?s Councils.
At the district level, there are 36,281 candidates including 137 who are independent aspirants. The electors will vote in 23,554 new members.
At the communal level of the People?s Councils, there are 441,856 candidates, with 815 independent candidates, 284,507 members will be elected.
Thirty-three provinces and cities reported that some candidates have been struck off, as voters did not believe in their suitability. There are 14 failed candidates at the provincial level, 87 from the district level and 1,002 from the commune elections.
These candidates failed to pass the nomination process, because they did not actively participate in local movements or were not part of their local communities.
While preparing for the elections, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front?s Central Committee has received more than 400 complaints and accusations from residents nationwide. The committee has dealt with 350 complaints, rejecting the remainder as being vague or overlapping with other complaints.
Many of the accusations were related to illegal land use, corruption or abuse of power. ? VNS