Vietnam will elect its State President, Prime Minister, and other leadership positions for the 2016-20 tenure later this year as the new lawmaking National Assembly is formed in May.

The recent personnel endorsement carried out during the plenary meeting of the National Assembly, between March 21 and April 12, was for the 2011-16 term, said Uong Chu Luu, vice chair of the legislative body.

The new National Assembly is expected to convene its first plenum in late July or early August, during which the country’s key posts, namely State President, Prime Minister, and National Assembly Chairperson, along with leaders of other state agencies and government members for 2016-20 will be re-elected, Luu explained.

“Holders of certain positions will be required to make an oath of allegiance again in accordance with the constitution,” the vice chairperson continued.

According to the Vietnamese official, the recent personnel endorsement was conducted three months earlier to meet the demand for rearranging the state apparatus following the National Party Congress in late January.

The procedure was not unprecedented, Luu stated, citing a similar example in 2006.

In accordance with regulations in the constitution and the law on the organization of the National Assembly, members of the legislature will elect State President, Prime Minister, National Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, as well as members of its standing committee, Luu said.

Holders of those positions must be members of the country’s legislative body, the vice chair added.

Meanwhile, nominees for the posts, including Auditor General, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, and Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy, are not necessarily members of the National Assembly, he noted.

The lawmaking body will approve Deputy Prime Ministers as well as other members of the government, who do not have to be members of the National Assembly, according to Luu.

Therefore, following the upcoming election for members of the National Assembly in May, holders of positions that require membership of the legislative body must be voted to be lawmakers in order to continue their duties, the official elaborated.

Current members of the National Assembly have recently endorsed 37 posts of the state system for the 2011-16 tenure.

The legislative body has named State President and Deputy State President, Prime Minister, its Chairperson, nine out of 18 members of its standing committee, Auditor General, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, and Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy.

It also approved 21 out of 26 others, namely Deputy Prime Ministers and members of the government.

The 37 posts, along with the remaining positions, will be re-endorsed for the 2016-20 tenure by members of the new National Assembly during its first meeting later this year.

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