World Notes VIET NAM

On the surface, the election seemed typical for a hard-line Communist regime. Voice of Viet Nam Radio reported that balloting for a new National Assembly produced a standard 99.32% voter turnout, and the winners dutifully mouthed socialist pieties. But in fact last week's balloting may herald a new era of economic and political reform for the beleaguered Vietnamese.

Voters chose 496 National Assembly representatives from among 829 candidates. Instead of being handpicked by top party officials, many candidates were selected by grass-roots organizations at public meetings, where disastrous economic policies that have made Viet Nam one of the world's poorest countries were widely criticized. Indeed, Nguyen Van Linh, 74, the Communist Party chairman who took office last December, has called for more democratic reforms and instituted free-market innovations to spur the economy.

The new National Assembly is likely to endorse fresh approaches when it convenes in June. One of the first orders of business: electing replacements for the calcified Old Guard, including President Truong Chinh, 80, and Pham Van Dong, 81, who has served as Prime Minister since 1976. Conceded Dong after casting his ballot last week: "I have been in this post too long."