Hoang Dinh Thang, chairman of the Union of Vietnamese People Associations in Europe. Photo by Read/Quang Vinh
The Union of Vietnamese People Associations in Europe has proposed allowing Vietnamese citizens living abroad to both vote in and run for seats in the National Assembly.
Hoang Dinh Thang, chairman of the union, raised the proposal on Thursday, saying that it is time for Vietnam to consider such an initiative. Under current Vietnamese law, any citizen aged 21 or older is eligible to be elected to the National Assembly and People’s Councils, provided they hold only Vietnamese nationality.
Thang also urged authorities to introduce policies that would enable overseas Vietnamese to regain their Vietnamese nationality while retaining their foreign citizenship. He noted that several countries have revised their nationality policies, allowing dual citizenship, and that many Vietnamese who gave up their nationality to obtain foreign citizenship now wish to restore their Vietnamese status.
“This desire is to maintain a legal tie with the Vietnamese state, and to pass on such ties for future generations,” Thang said.
He further called for measures to facilitate the determination of Vietnamese nationality for children of mixed heritage and speed up the passport issuance process for those lacking proof of nationality. Additionally, Thang emphasized the importance of supporting activities that help overseas Vietnamese communities preserve their cultural identity, such as offering Vietnamese language classes.
There are an estimated six million Vietnamese living abroad, spread across 130 countries and territories. Last year, remittances sent to Vietnam amounted to around $16 billion.
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