The Vietnamese Fatherland Front ( vi, Mặt trận Tổ quốc Việt Nam) is an umbrella group of mass movements in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
aligned with the
Communist Party of Vietnam
The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), also known as the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP), is the founding and sole legal party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Founded in 1930 by Hồ Chí Minh, the CPV became the ruling party of North ...
forming the Vietnamese government. It was founded in February 1977 by the merger of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front of
North Vietnam
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
and two Viet Cong groups, the
National Liberation Front of South Vietnam
,
, war = the Vietnam War
, image = FNL Flag.svg
, caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green.
, active ...
and the
Alliance of National, Democratic, and Peace Forces
The Viet Cong, ; contraction of (Vietnamese communist) was an armed Communism, communist organization in South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It fought under the direction of North Vietnam against the South Vietnamese and United States governments ...
. It is an amalgamation of many smaller groups, including the Communist Party itself. Other groups that participated in the establishment of the Front were the
Vietnam General Confederation of Labour
The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) is the sole national trade union center in Vietnam. It was founded 29 July 1929 as the Red Workers' General Union in Northern Vietnam, and extended into the entire country after the collapse of ...
, the
Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union
The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union ( (Đoàn TNCS)), simply recognized as the Union (), is the largest social-political organisation of Vietnamese youth. The union is under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The organization wa ...
( the Ho Chi Minh Youth) and the
Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organization
The Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organization is a communist youth organization operating in Vietnam named after former Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh. It operates as a constituent part of the Communist Party of Vietnam and had approximately 12 mil ...
. It also included the
Democratic Party of Vietnam
The Democratic Party of Vietnam ( vi, Đảng Dân chủ Việt Nam) was a political party in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (later only North Vietnam). It was founded on 30 July 1944 to unite petite bourgeoisie and intelligentsia in support o ...
and
Socialist Party of Vietnam
The Socialist Party of Vietnam ( vi, Đảng Xã hội Việt Nam) was a political party in Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at th ...
, until they disbanded in 1988.
It also incorporates some officially sanctioned religious groups.
The Front is described by the Vietnamese government as "the political base of people's power." It is intended to have a significant role in society, promoting "national solidarity" and "unity of mind in political and spiritual matters." In practice, the members of the Front, like their counterparts in other Communist states, are largely subservient to the Communist Party, and must accept the party's "
leading role
A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typic ...
" as a condition of their existence.
Many of the government's social programs are conducted through the Front. Recently, it has been given a role in programs to reduce
poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income. Poverty can have diverse social, economic, and political causes and effects. When evaluating poverty in ...
. The Front is also responsible for much of the government's policy on
religion
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...
, and has the ability to determine which religious groups will receive official approval.
Perhaps more importantly, the Front is intended to supervise the activity of the government and of government organisations. Because the Front's power base is mass participation and popular mobilisation, it is seen as representative of the people, and both Vietnam's
constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When ...
and laws give it a special role. The Front has a particularly significant role in
elections
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative ...
. Specifically, endorsement by the Front is generally required (in practice, if not in theory) to be a candidate for election. Almost all candidates are nominated by (and members of) the Front, with only a few "self-nominated" candidates avoiding the Front's veto. The Front's role in electoral nominations is mandated by law.
Leadership
Secretary General of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front since 1977:
*
Nguyễn Văn Tiến
Nguyễn () is the most common Vietnamese surname. Outside of Vietnam, the surname is commonly rendered without diacritics as Nguyen. Nguyên (元)is a different word and surname.
By some estimates 39 percent of Vietnamese people bear this s ...
(1977–1988)
*
Phạm Văn Kiết
Phạm is the fourth most common Vietnamese family name from , which may be rendered as ''Fan'' in Chinese or ''Beom'' (범) in Korean. It is not to be confused with Phan (潘), another Vietnamese surname.
Origin
Phạm is the Sino-Vietnames ...
(1988–1994)
*
Trần Văn Đăng
Trần (陳) or Tran is a common Vietnamese surname. More than 10% of all Vietnamese people share this surname. It is derived from the common Chinese surname Chen.
History
The Tran ruled the Trần dynasty, a golden era in Vietnam, and succe ...
(1994–2004)
*
Huỳnh Đảm
Huang (; ) is a Chinese surname that originally means and refers to jade people were wearing and decorating in ancient times. While ''Huáng'' is the pinyin romanization of the word, it may also be romanized as Hwang, Wong, Waan, Wan, Waon, Hwo ...
(2004–2008)
*
Vũ Trọng Kim
Vũ or Võ (wikt:武, 武 or rarely wikt:禹, 禹) is a common Vietnamese name, Vietnamese surname. Vũ is primarily used by Vietnamese who live in the north, while Võ mostly is used by Vietnamese who live in the south (from Quảng Bình Provin ...
(2008–2016)
*
Trần Thanh Mẫn
Trần Thanh Mẫn (born 12 August 1962) is a Vietnamese politician who has been First Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislat ...
(from 2016)
Chairman of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front since 1977:
*
Hoàng Quốc Việt
Huang (; ) is a Chinese surname that originally means and refers to jade people were wearing and decorating in ancient times. While ''Huáng'' is the pinyin romanization of the word, it may also be romanized as Hwang, Wong, Waan, Wan, Waon, Hwo ...
(1977–1983)
*
Huỳnh Tấn Phát
Huỳnh Tấn Phát (15 February 1913, near Mỹ Tho, French Indochina – 30 September 1989, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) was a South Vietnamese communist politician and revolutionary. He was a member of the First National Assembly (Democratic Repu ...
(1983–1988)
*
Nguyễn Hữu Thọ
Nguyễn Hữu Thọ (10 July 1910 – 24 December 1996) was a Vietnamese revolutionary and Chairman of Consultative Council of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam from 6 June 1969 to 2 July 1976, and the Chairman of the National As ...
(1988–1994)
*
Lê Quang Đạo
Lê Quang Đạo (8 August 1921 – 24 July 1999) was a Vietnamese politician who was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam from 1960 to 1991. Having served 28 years in the military, he was promoted to the rank of Maj ...
(1994–1999)
*
Phạm Thế Duyệt
Phạm is the fourth most common Vietnamese family name from , which may be rendered as ''Fan'' in Chinese or ''Beom'' (범) in Korean. It is not to be confused with Phan (潘), another Vietnamese surname.
Origin
Phạm is the Sino-Vietnames ...
(1999–2008)
*
Huỳnh Đảm
Huang (; ) is a Chinese surname that originally means and refers to jade people were wearing and decorating in ancient times. While ''Huáng'' is the pinyin romanization of the word, it may also be romanized as Hwang, Wong, Waan, Wan, Waon, Hwo ...
(2008–2013)
*
Nguyễn Thiện Nhân (2013–2017)
*
Trần Thanh Mẫn
Trần Thanh Mẫn (born 12 August 1962) is a Vietnamese politician who has been First Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislat ...
(from 2017)
Former Front organisations
*
League for the Independence of Vietnam
The Việt Minh (; abbreviated from , chữ Nôm and Hán tự: ; french: Ligue pour l'indépendance du Viêt Nam, ) was a national independence coalition formed at Pác Bó by Hồ Chí Minh on 19 May 1941. Also known as the Việt Minh Fro ...
(Việt Minh) founded by
Hồ Chí Minh
(: ; born ; 19 May 1890 – 2 September 1969), commonly known as ('Uncle Hồ'), also known as ('President Hồ'), (' Old father of the people') and by other aliases, was a Vietnamese revolutionary and statesman. He served as Pri ...
on 19 May 1941.
*
Vietnamese National Popular League
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam.
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Over ...
(Hội Liên hiệp Quốc dân Việt Nam or Liên Việt), founded on 29 May 1946. Head of the League:
Huỳnh Thúc Kháng
Huỳnh Thúc Kháng ( chữ Hán: ; 1 October 1876 – 21 April 1947), also known as Cụ Huỳnh (lit: 'Great-grandfather' Huỳnh), was a Vietnamese anti-colonial activist, statesman and journalist, most notably serving as Acting President of ...
(1946–1947),
Bùi Bằng Đoàn (1947–1951).
*
Vietnamese National Popular Front (Mặt trận Liên Việt), founded in 1951, merger of Viet Minh and Lien Viet. Chairman:
Tôn Đức Thắng
Tôn Đức Thắng (August 20, 1888 – March 30, 1980) was the second and last president of North Vietnam and the first president of the reunified Vietnam under the leadership of General Secretary Lê Duẩn. The position of president is cerem ...
.
* Vietnamese Fatherland Front (Mặt trận Tổ quốc Việt Nam), founded in 1955 and replaced the Vietnamese National Popular Front. Chairman:
Tôn Đức Thắng
Tôn Đức Thắng (August 20, 1888 – March 30, 1980) was the second and last president of North Vietnam and the first president of the reunified Vietnam under the leadership of General Secretary Lê Duẩn. The position of president is cerem ...
.
*
National Liberation Front of South Vietnam
,
, war = the Vietnam War
, image = FNL Flag.svg
, caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green.
, active ...
(
Việt Cộng
The Viet Cong, ; contraction of (Vietnamese communist) was an armed Communism, communist organization in South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It fought under the direction of North Vietnam against the South Vietnamese and United States governments ...
), founded on 20 December 1960. Chairman:
Nguyễn Hữu Thọ
Nguyễn Hữu Thọ (10 July 1910 – 24 December 1996) was a Vietnamese revolutionary and Chairman of Consultative Council of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam from 6 June 1969 to 2 July 1976, and the Chairman of the National As ...
.
*
Alliance of National, Democratic and Peace Forces of Viet Nam
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
, founded on 20 April 1968. Chairman:
Trịnh Đình Thảo
Trịnh is a Vietnamese family name, which is also common in some countries such as Korea (Jung, Jeong). A considerable portion of families that bear the surname Trinh are ethnically Vietnamese.
Notable people
*Trịnh Như Khuê, First Cardin ...
.
Electoral history
National Assembly elections
References
External links
* (in Vietnamese)
*
Third Congress of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (Documents)', held in December 1971
{{Authority control
1977 establishments in Vietnam
Communist Party of Vietnam
Political parties established in 1977
Political party alliances in Vietnam
Popular fronts of communist states