HCMC – Party General Secretary To Lam said said the country will restructure its administrative system with a long-term development vision spanning at least 100 years.
Lam made the statement at the 11th plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee (PCC), which opened in Hanoi this morning, April 10. The meeting was convened one month earlier than scheduled. It focused on streamlining the political apparatus and reorganizing administrative boundaries and local governments.
Lam said central-level restructuring had been mostly completed, including adjustments to Party, Government, National Assembly, and Fatherland Front agencies. This process has led to reduced bureaucracy, cost savings, and improved performance, he noted.
However, Lam acknowledged that local-level structures remain incomplete and require further reform.
To address this, the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee have proposed consolidating administrative units across all levels, reducing the number of provinces and provincial-level cities to 34, and eliminating the district level. The plan also includes cutting commune-level units by half.
Vietnam will introduce a two-tier local government system and reorganize court and procuracy systems into three levels. The proposed two-tier local government model would be accompanied by a new approach to decentralization and governance at the grassroots level, ensuring that local administrations are truly accessible and service-oriented.
Revisions to the 2013 Constitution and related laws are being considered to ensure a synchronized implementation of these reforms starting July 1, 2025.
Lam said the goal is to build a government that better serves the people and supports national development. He urged Party members to provide input on the proposals and ensure implementation is consistent and effective.
He also emphasized that the restructuring should not disrupt public services or business activities.
