Vương Đình Huệ takes an oath as he became the 12th National Assembly Chair  on Wednesday during the 11th session of the 14th-tenure parliament. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Secretary of Hà Nội Party Committee Vương Đình Huệ is the new Chair of the National Assembly and the National Election Council.

He was sworn in on Wednesday after receiving 100 per cent of the votes from the 473 legislators during the 11th sitting of the 14th-tenure legislature.

Huệ, 64, is the 12th parliament chair since the first general election was held in Việt Nam in 1946, and the second Secretary of Hà Nội Party Committee to be in this position after the incumbent Secretary-General and State President Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

With his right hand raised and the left hand on the Constitution of Việt Nam, Huệ vowed to be "absolutely faithful to the country, to the people, and to the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam."

He said he would strive to fulfil the missions assigned by the Party, State, and the people.

“As the Chairman of the National Assembly, I promise to try my best, together with the NA Standing Committee, NA agencies, NA Standing Committee agencies, and NA deputies, to inherit and promote the good tradition and great achievements of the NA in the past tenures, continue reforming methods and enhance the quality and efficiency of the NA’s operations for the supreme target of serving the nation’s interests and for the people’s happiness,” Huệ addressed the NA.

As the Chairman of the NEC, Huệ said he will work with the council’s members to seriously perform the council’s role and successfully hold the elections to elect competent deputies able to represent the people in the legislative body and the People’s Councils at all levels in the next term.

He also thanked former NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân and his other predecessors for their important contributions to the legislature’s operation and the enhancement of the Vietnamese NA’s position in the international arena. 

Kim Ngân, 66, was the first woman elected to hold the top legislator position in the country's history five years ago. Her term came to an end and a resolution on the official dismissal of Ngân was adopted by the NA on Tuesday.

The swearing-in ceremony held at the National Assembly building in Hà Nội on Wednesday, with Vương Đình Huệ as the new Chairman. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

Huệ was born in the central province of Nghệ An and began his career as a lecturer at the Hà Nội Finance and Accounting University in the late 70s-mid-80s. He studied abroad at the University of Economics in Bratislava (Slovakia) from 1986-90, returned as a lecturer and moved up in the ladder until he became the vice director of the Hà Nội Finance and Accounting University in 1999.

He has a doctorate degree in economics, knows English, Russian, and some Czechoslovakian.

Since being admitted to the Party Central Committee of the Party in 2006, Huệ has held various high-ranking positions: State Auditor General (2006-11), Minister of Finance (2011-13), Head of the Central Economic Commission (December 2012-April 206), Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economics (2016-2020), and currently Secretary of the Hà Nội Party Committee since February 2020.

Also during the sitting, the NA Standing Committee will present proposals on relieving certain NA Vice Chairpersons and the legislators will hold group discussions on this issue.

The legislature will cast secret ballots to relieve several NA Vice Chairpersons.

Following the release of the voting results, the deputies are scheduled to debate and vote on a resolution on relieving these NA Vice Chairpersons.

Later in the day, the NA Standing Committee will present a list of candidates for the positions, and the legislators will discuss in groups the candidates. — VNS

(From left) President of Việt Nam Fatherland Front Trần Thanh Mẫn, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Secretary General and State President Nguyễn Phú Trọng, and former National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân cast the votes for the next Chair of the National Assembly on Wednesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo