Vũ Đại Thắng, Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee for the 2026–2031 term. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The first session of the 17th Hà Nội People’s Council for the 2026–2031 tenure was convened on March 28.

Earlier, a total of 125 deputies were elected to the municipal People’s Council for the new term.

At the session, the council elected Vũ Đại Thắng, Deputy Secretary of the Hà Nội Party Committee, as Chairman of the People’s Committee for the 2026–2031 term.

Born in 1975, Vũ Đại Thắng holds a master’s degree in international relations from Waseda University in Japan, as well as bachelor’s degrees in economics and law, and an advanced degree in political theory.

In November 2025, he was elected Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee for the 2021–2026 tenure and has now been re-elected for the 2026–2031 term.

In his remarks, Thắng affirmed that the capital city will focus on building an action-oriented, disciplined and efficient administration, while strengthening decentralisation and accountability, improving institutions, mobilising resources effectively, and promoting science, technology and innovation to enhance growth quality.

He emphasised that people must remain at the centre of development. Policies that do not bring tangible benefits to residents cannot be considered successful, he said, stressing that citizens’ satisfaction should be the key measure of government performance.

At the session, the People’s Council also elected Dương Đức Tuấn, Nguyễn Xuân Lưu, Vũ Thu Hà, and Trương Việt Dũng as vice chairpersons of the municipal People’s Committee for 2026–2031, along with 17 committee members.

Phùng Thị Hồng Hà, Chairwoman of the Hà Nội People's Council for the 2026-2031 term. VNA/VNS Photo

Earlier, the council elected Phùng Thị Hồng Hà as its chairwoman, along with vice chairpersons for the new tenure.

The consolidation of key leadership positions of the People’s Council and People’s Committee was carried out in accordance with regulations, ensuring continuity, stability and renewal in the capital’s governance system.

A report presented at the session showed that preparations for the recent election of People’s Council deputies had been conducted in a serious and methodical manner, in line with legal regulations.

The city issued more than 200 directives and guidelines, established 4,098 polling stations, and recorded the participation of over 6.01 million voters.

Candidate nomination and consultation processes were conducted democratically and transparently, with 205 candidates standing for 125 seats, ensuring balanced representation and quality.

Election campaigning and voter meetings were widely organised, while communication activities made extensive use of digital tools such as QR codes, digital maps, videos and infographics to provide voters with accessible and accurate information.

Voting took place smoothly and in accordance with regulations across all polling stations. Many elderly voters, including some over 100 years old, directly cast their ballots.

As a result, all 31 electoral units successfully elected their full quota of deputies, with no re-votes or cancellations due to legal violations.

Following the election, 124 deputies were certified as eligible to perform their duties, enabling the 17th Hà Nội People’s Council to officially begin its work.

According to the council, the successful election and consolidation of leadership positions provide an important foundation for Hà Nội to enter the new tenure with strong momentum. — VNS