If the Communist Party’s National Congress members can reach a majority, the chief of the country’s supreme party might be directly voted by the attendees, Voice of Vietnam News reported Monday.

 

Organizers of the congress, which is held January 12-19 in Hanoi, are still to decide how to vote for the party’s general secretary, Nguyen Bac Son, member of the Party’s central committee, told the press that day.

 

Until now, the general secretary was voted by the Party’s central committee, while the committee members are selected by representatives whose members are voted by representatives of party units attending the congress.

 

According to Son, the direct method has been piloted to vote party secretaries in ten provinces and cities.

 

The 11th congress will also try to increase the number of young people, women, ethnic minorities, and scientists in the central committee, he said.

 

It is estimated that 1,377 representatives from nearly 54,000 party units across the country will attend the event, which is held every five years, VOV reported.

Foreign ambassadors and representatives of international organizations are also expected to participate, according to the press conference.