Ha Tinh and other localities across the country have made urgent and thorough preparations, ensuring the most democratic and progressive principles. For the first time in history, the people of Ha Tinh, together with the people of the whole country, have the right to run for election and vote, and participate in building government agencies.
The first general election - a special mark in the flow of history
On September 3, 1945, in the first meeting of the Provisional Government, President Ho Chi Minh proposed that the Government “organize as soon as possible a general election with universal suffrage. All citizens, male and female, eighteen years of age, have the right to run for election and vote, regardless of wealth, poverty, religion, race...”.
President Ho Chi Minh raised six most urgent issues that needed to be resolved, one of which was to organize a General Election to elect an official National Assembly and a Government of the people, and at the same time establish a Constitutional Drafting Committee.
Special issue of the National Assembly Newspaper published on General Election Day. Photo courtesy.
On September 8, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh issued Decree No. 14-SL on the General Election. The Decree clearly stated: "In accordance with the Resolution of the National Congress on August 16 and 17, 1945 in the liberated area, it is determined that Vietnam will follow the democratic republic system and the national people's government will be elected by a National Congress by universal suffrage."
To promote preparations for the General Election, on September 29, 1945, the Provisional Government issued Decree No. 51-SL, dated October 17, 1945, regulating the rules of the General Election.
Hanoi workers cheering for the General Election on January 6, 1946. Photo: Archive.
Regarding the significance of the first General Election of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, he said: “The General Election is an opportunity for the entire nation to freely choose talented and virtuous people to shoulder the work of the country”; “The General Election means freedom, equality; that is democracy, solidarity”; “Through the General Election, the entire people elect the National Assembly. The National Assembly will elect the Government. That Government is truly the Government of the entire people”. According to him, the candidates who are eligible to run for National Assembly deputies are “Those who want to take care of the country” and “All citizens have the right to vote. There is no distinction between men and women, rich and poor, religion, race, class, or political party”.
Voters in the suburbs of Hanoi cast their ballots to elect deputies to the first National Assembly on January 6, 1946. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
With careful and thorough preparation, the first National Assembly election took place as planned and was a success. Only a part in the South conducted it on December 23, 1945 (due to not receiving the postponement order in time), but most of them were conducted on January 6, 1946. All 71 provinces and cities had 89% of the total voters going to the polls. The whole country elected 333 representatives. In the capital Hanoi, 91.95% of voters from 74 inner-city areas and 118 suburban villages went to the polls; as a result, 6 out of 74 candidates were elected to the National Assembly; President Ho Chi Minh was elected with the highest number of votes (98.4%).
Uncle Ho voted for the National Assembly election. Photo: Archive.
Ha Tinh with the first General Election
In the context of internal and external enemies, the political, economic and social situation was extremely difficult, but the General Election was prepared urgently and carefully by Ha Tinh and other localities across the country, ensuring the most democratic and progressive principles, which are: universal, equal, direct and secret ballot.
To prepare for the General Election, Ha Tinh's election committees were established down to the villages and communes, directly managed by the People's Committees at all levels. For the first time in history, Ha Tinh people, together with people across the country, had the right to run for election and vote, and to participate in building government agencies. Many talented and virtuous people volunteered to run for election or were recommended by the masses to run for election.
All lists of voters and candidates were completed and publicly posted. Everywhere in the province, flags and banners were displayed, creating a bustling and exciting atmosphere. The masses enthusiastically discussed, debated, and questioned each other in order to select the most worthy people to represent them, limiting opportunists from taking advantage of the General Election to compete for power.
On January 5, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh called on the nation to vote, including the following passage: “Tomorrow is a happy day for our people, because tomorrow is the General Election Day, because tomorrow is the first day in the history of Vietnam that our people begin to enjoy their democratic rights.”
Responding to the sacred call of the Fatherland, on January 6, 1946 - the historic day of the nation, together with the people of the whole country, more than 200,000 voters of Ha Tinh from rural to urban areas, regardless of gender, age, eagerly went to vote for the National Assembly election. The result was the election of 7 Ha Tinh delegates to the 1st National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, including: Ta Quang Buu (introduced by the Central Committee), Tran Huu Duyet, Tran Binh, Le Loc, Ho Van Ninh, Nguyen Trong Nha, Nguyen Dinh Luong.
At the first session, the first National Assembly recognized the Coalition Resistance Government with Ho Chi Minh as President, elected the National Assembly Standing Committee and the Constitution Drafting Committee.
The Resistance Coalition Government was introduced at the First Session of the First National Assembly on March 2, 1946. Photo: Archive.
Then, on February 17, 1946, the election of the Provincial People's Council and the Commune People's Council was also successfully conducted. Over 97% of the total number of voters in Ha Tinh went to vote, and the delegates who were party members introduced by the Viet Minh Front were all elected with a high number of votes. As a result, 26 delegates of the Provincial People's Council and 181 delegates of the Commune People's Council were elected.
Immediately after the results were available, People's Councils at all levels held their first meetings to discuss policies and measures to consolidate the government, build and protect the new regime, direct the promotion of production, and prepare for resistance.
The above elections were truly great festivals for all Ha Tinh people, demonstrating patriotism, trust in the Party, in President Ho Chi Minh, the will for national independence, determination to protect and build a revolutionary government of all classes of people in the province. Thereby, they contributed to the overall victory of the General Election nationwide, marking the maturity of the Vietnamese revolutionary state, opening a new era, the era in which our country has a National Assembly, a unified Government, a progressive Constitution and a fully legalized government system to represent the Vietnamese people in domestic and foreign affairs.
The election is the basis to affirm the legitimacy and democracy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - a state of the people, by the people and for the people, entrusted by the people with the responsibility of governing the country, organizing the people to fight for resistance, build the nation, and resolve all of Vietnam's relations in the international arena.
Responsibility of today's generation
Today, the meaning and spirit of the first General Election still holds true. The results of the General Election with the birth of the National Assembly and the Constitution in 1946 have made the country's dream come true. The renovation has brought our country to a new height. "Our country has never had such a foundation, potential, position and international prestige as it does today!"
The Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress emphasized the task of arousing the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country. Today's generation must have the responsibility to promote the tradition and spirit of national independence of the 1946 General Election, to devote all their heart and soul, to know how to gather, assemble and arouse national strength combined with the strength of the times in a scientific way, not afraid of difficulties and hardships, daring to think, daring to do, daring to take responsibility; being proactive, creative, dedicating all their intelligence, strength and enthusiasm to the common cause, then they will inevitably mobilize and use resources most effectively, bringing benefits to the community, to the country, and making the country develop more and more.
Comrades: Le Minh Hung - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chief of the Party Central Committee Office; Hoang Trung Dung - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Tran The Dung - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee exchanged with voters on the sidelines of the voter contact conference on December 5, 2023.
Inheriting the source of cultural and revolutionary traditions, over the years, the Party Committee and the People of Ha Tinh have united together to continue writing heroic history, creating a new face, improving the material and spiritual life of the people.
With the tradition of the past 78 years and continuing the experiences of the previous delegates, worthy of the trust of the Party and the People, the Provincial National Assembly Delegation and the National Assembly Deputies of Ha Tinh continue to fulfill their roles and responsibilities, actively participate in law-making activities, effectively and efficiently exercise the supreme supervisory power, contribute to making accurate decisions on important issues of the country; innovate and improve the work of people's petitions, promptly grasp the aspirations and opinions of voters, propagate and mobilize all classes of people to well implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws and accompany the local political tasks.
Quang Duc
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