The Bush people came later, most of them party veterans, mostly more prosperous sorts.

He said he had reached out to those party veterans who accepted the once rigidly authoritarian party's new, more democratic rules of play.

Resistance from the party veterans, though, is not likely to disappear.

To be sure, fewer judges than normal turned out - only a handful, party veterans said.

"Watch him, he's going to be a star," said one party veteran sagely.

Earlier this year, six Romanian party veterans sent him a message full of criticism of his policies; there was talk that he might step down.

"I shall involve party veterans and see what can be done".

In recent years he has slowed down efforts to open Vietnam's economy and silenced party veterans who dared call for greater political freedom.

One party veteran said it would be a really good result if they ended up with 29 seats - three more than last time.

"We are not going to walk away from the party with empty hands and bare bottoms," he told the gathering of party veterans.