Vietnam claims 99 per cent turnout in one-party parliament election

May 21, 2007, 11:30 GMT

Hanoi - Vietnam's communist government on Monday said preliminary returns showed a staggering 99 per cent turnout in Sunday's one-party elections to choose a new parliament.

With all but six of the country's 64 provinces reporting, Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta boasted the highest turnout of 100 per cent, according to the official government website.

The lowest turnout was in southern Thai Binh province, with only 98.3 per cent of eligible people voting, the government said.

Vietnam's government has been touting the parliamentary elections in state media as a milestone for democracy and urging people to vote through loudspeakers.

Opposition groups inside and outside the country have called the elections a meaningless sham and urged a general boycott.

More than 80 per cent of the 875 candidates standing for seats in the 500-member parliament are Communist Party members and the government-linked Fatherland Front must approve all independent and 'self-nominated' candidates.

In recent months, Vietnamese authorities have arrested at least a dozen political activists, with state-controlled media accusing some of plotting to undermine the elections by forming illegal opposition parties and trying to field their own candidates.

Official results for the vote are to be announced June 9.