On May 7, speaking at a group discussion on the draft amendments of the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants and the Law on Local Government Organization, the Minister highlighted key points regarding the two-tier local government model.

90 district-level tasks transferred to commune level

The Minister emphasized the urgent need to amend these two laws amid the ongoing effort to streamline the administrative apparatus and reduce staff. The amendments aim to establish a robust legal foundation that regulates the entire public service system and local government structures at all levels.

According to the Minister, local governments at the district level currently have 99 tasks and powers. Once district-level administrative units are phased out, 90 of these tasks will be transferred to the commune level, leaving only nine tasks for the provincial level.

Some types of local government - urban, rural, and special zones - will have enhanced functions, tasks, and powers based on their capacity. Wards, in particular, will see a significant increase in responsibilities. As for special zones, they will gain additional tasks and powers tailored to their unique characteristics, beyond those assigned to communes.

Additionally, mechanisms and policies will be established to allow the National Assembly or its Standing Committee to further refine regulations for special zones, creating favorable conditions for them to serve as strongholds for national defense and sovereignty while promoting socio-economic development.

Class-1, 2, 3 communes

Tra noted that decentralization, delegation, and authorization remain significant bottlenecks. “We checked laws and found that 170 out of 186 specialized laws regulate the functions and tasks for district-level People’s Councils,” she said.

Once the Law on Local Government Organization is passed, the Government is expected to issue about 25 decrees on decentralization and delineation of authority. 

The Minister said that, by May 9, MHA must finalize a report and submit it to the Politburo on implementing the decentralization, adhering to the principle of “localities make decisions, implement, and take responsibility”.

Regarding administrative unit standards under the two-tier local government model, the Minister said MHA will propose to the NA’s Standing Committee the criteria for classifying administrative units with the principle of continuity, innovation, and development.

“For example, provincial-level administrative units will include centrally governed cities and provinces classified as Class 1, 2, and 3 based on development conditions. Similarly, commune-level units will be divided into Class1, 2, and 3, as will be special zones and rural areas,” she explained.

“The classification aims to facilitate governance, promote development, and create momentum for national progress,” the Minister said.

Abolishing promotion exams 

Pham Thi Thanh Tra said that the draft amendments to the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants clearly define the role of job positions.

“This is the supreme principle that guides the law compilation. Job positions are the core and determinant for everything from recruitment and utilization to management, training, appointment, discipline, and reward,” she explained.

According to the Minister, civil servant ranks remain a critical technical tool for distinguishing hierarchies. Immediate abolition would complicate classification and require redesigning related mechanisms and policies. Thus, the Ministry decided to retain the ranking scheme, but treat it solely as a technical tool for hierarchical distinction.

“If we eliminate promotion exams, I’m sure cadres and civil servants will be delighted. Similarly, removing the unnecessary one-year probation period will likely be well-received by future cadres and civil servants,” the Minister said.

Likewise, decentralizing the vetting process for recruiting cadres and civil servants to localities will help reduce bureaucratic layers and mitigate risks of corruption.

On May 7, the National Assembly held group discussions on the Draft Resolution amending and supplementing certain provisions of the 2013 Constitution, the draft amended Law on Local Government Organization, and the draft amended Law on Cadres and Civil Servants.

National Assembly Chair Tran Thanh Man stated that the second phase of the administrative apparatus streamlining has been highly challenging, as merging provinces and communes and eliminating district-level administrative units require constitutional amendments.

It is projected that there will be 34 provinces and cities after restructuring, including six centrally governed cities, and 694 district-level units will be phased out. Currently, there are 10,035 commune-level units, but with a planned reduction of 60-70 percent, only 3,300 will remain. 

Nguyen Thao - The Vinh