National Assembly 2026: Returning from Europe to cast my vote
WVR - Although I have lived and worked in Hungary for many years, I always consider participating in elections a sacred duty of a citizen. Returning to Vietnam to directly cast my vote in this election is an opportunity for me to feel a stronger connection to my homeland and the political life of the country.
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| For every Vietnamese citizen, the right to vote is not only a privilege but also a responsibility to the country. (Source: VGP) |
Proud to exercise citizen rights and responsibilities
For every Vietnamese citizen, the right to vote is not only a privilege but also a responsibility to the country. Despite living and working abroad for many years, I always feel deeply connected to the Vietnamese nation. Therefore, returning to participate in the election holds a very special meaning for me.
This is the second time I have returned to Vietnam to participate in an election. The first time was about 10 years ago. During the previous National Assembly election, I couldn't return due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, despite missing many major events in recent years, I was determined to arrange my work months in advance to return to Vietnam for this election.
The journey back was not without challenges. Currently, traveling from Europe to Vietnam is quite difficult as many convenient flights transiting through the Middle East have been canceled. I had to change my flight from Budapest to Frankfurt to connect with Vietnam Airlines to Hanoi.
Just when I thought everything was settled, Lufthansa announced a strike, canceling my flight from Budapest to Frankfurt. I had to quickly rearrange my schedule to change flights on the same day, flying to Frankfurt a night earlier to catch my connection to Vietnam.
Fortunately, the staff at Vietnam Airlines were very supportive, helping me swiftly complete the flight change. Overcoming these difficulties made me appreciate even more the value of being present and casting my vote in this significant political event of the country.
In my view, each vote is not merely a choice but also a reflection of the people's trust and expectations for the country's future. It is also how each citizen demonstrates their responsibility towards the nation's development path.
Expectations for the new National Assembly to align with real-life issues
Upon returning to Vietnam, I was moved by the vibrant election preparations taking place in many areas. From streets and neighborhoods to offices and schools, banners, posters, and signs introducing the election day and candidate lists were displayed.
The preparation atmosphere was both urgent and enthusiastic. In many neighborhoods, people discussed and sought information about the candidates and their action plans. This shows the high level of interest and responsibility of voters towards this important political event.
For someone who has lived far from the homeland for many years, witnessing this atmosphere firsthand made me feel very emotional and proud. It helped me feel a deeper connection to the country's political life.
The registration and receipt of voter cards were also carried out swiftly and conveniently. Local officials proactively contacted me in advance to inform and guide me specifically.
I also noticed many new aspects, such as the use of digital platforms and online applications to update information. This indicates that the digital transformation is increasingly spreading across many areas of life.
For me, this election holds special significance as it is organized right after the 14th Party Congress, which set many new strategic directions for the country's development in the coming period. Therefore, the new National Assembly and elected bodies will play a crucial role in institutionalizing major policies and guidelines into specific policies and laws.
Moreover, the election takes place as the local government apparatus continues to be reformed towards being more streamlined and efficient. The reduction of People's Council levels to two is considered an important reform step to enhance management effectiveness and reduce overlap in the administrative system.
This also places higher demands on elected People's Council representatives. In my opinion, they need to have greater capacity and responsibility to represent voters and participate in making important local decisions.
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| Dr. Phan Bích Thiện is currently a member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and President of the Vietnam Women's Forum in Europe. (Photo Courtesy by author) |
Vietnam is entering a new development phase with many opportunities but also new challenges. I hope that elected bodies from the National Assembly to local People's Councils will always stay closely aligned with real-life issues, promptly addressing urgent social matters such as sustainable economic development, improving education quality, promoting science and technology, protecting the environment, and ensuring social welfare.
I also hope that the new National Assembly and People's Council representatives will truly represent the people's voices, honestly reflecting social issues in the assembly, and actively participating in building and overseeing policy implementation.
| For the overseas Vietnamese community, we always consider ourselves an inseparable part of the nation. Besides economic contributions, overseas Vietnamese also bring knowledge, experience, and important international connections. Therefore, I hope that in the future, the National Assembly will continue to pay more attention to policies related to overseas Vietnamese, creating conditions for them to contribute more to the country's development. I hope there will be suitable mechanisms in the future for overseas Vietnamese to participate in elections at diplomatic missions without having to return to Vietnam. No matter where they live, the interest and contributions of overseas Vietnamese reflect their responsibility to the country and are part of the collective strength that helps Vietnam develop. |
