Victory for the Buddhists

The Buddhists have long been the unknown factor in South Viet Nam's volatile political chemistry, especially since 1966, when they began to boycott the nation's politics. Last week they returned to political life--"to play the democracy game" as one Saigon journalist put it. They came as winners as the Buddhist slate of ten candidates emerged with the largest number of votes in last weekend's nationwide Senate elections.

The Buddhist '"Lotus Blossom" candidates, who were tacitly backed by Thich Tri Quang's antigovernment An Quang Pagoda faction, narrowly edged out the progovernment "Sun" slate.

Although the voting swung more on ethnic and regional loyalties than on the issues, the Buddhist showing dented the prestige of President Nguyen Van Thieu. Thieu's main support rests on South Viet Nam's 2,000,000 Catholics, who are vastly outnumbered by the country's 15 million Buddhists and their followers. However, the outcome did support Thieu's claim that his government had conducted honest elections. The voting was largely peaceful, as 65% of the 6,600,000 eligible voters trooped to the polls. The candidates on the two top tickets, plus the members of the third-place, independent "Lily Flower" slate, will fill 30 vacancies in the 60-member Senate.

Coalition with Communists. The election results may have little immediate effect on national policy. The ten Buddhists will be a small minority in the Senate; besides, the Senate is a relatively powerless body compared with the presidency and the Thieu-controlled lower house of the National Assembly. As if that were not enough, the Buddhists are divided among themselves. The most noticeable immediate change will probably be in the rhetoric in the Senate, which is likely to become a forum for antigovernment statements.

The long-range implications are more profound. The Buddhists favor total U.S. withdrawal and disengagement from South Viet Nam. At the same time, they hope to persuade the Communists to stop shooting and negotiate with them for the formation of a "peace"--probably meaning coalition--government that would replace the Thieu regime. Since Buddhism commands at least the nominal allegiance of the vast majority of people in South Viet Nam, the Lotus Blossom politicians feel that they could outmaneuver the Communists in a coalition government.

No Winner. The leader of the Lotus Blossom slate is Vu Van Mau, 56, a law professor who served as Ngo Dinh Diem's Foreign Minister. "Thieu would like a military victory," says Mau. "But even the U.S. has said many times that there will be no winner or loser in Viet Nam. Therefore we must win peace." After last weekend's triumph, the Buddhists may decide to run pro-peace candidates for the presidency and the lower house next year.

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