Vietnam abolishes district-level administration in landmark constitutional amendment

Vietnam’s law-making National Assembly (NA) has unanimously approved amendments to the 2013 Constitution, officially eliminating the district-level administrative unit nationwide starting July 1 and restructuring local administrations into a two-tiered system.

As part of the ongoing 9th session of the 15th NA, all 470 deputies present on Monday morning voted in favor of a resolution amending and supplementing several provisions of the 2013 Constitution.

The resolution takes effect immediately, with the state president responsible for its promulgation.

As per the resolution, Vietnam’s administrative system will now consist of two tiers.

The provincial level will include provinces and centrally-run cities, while the grassroots level will include communes and wards.

Special administrative-economic units can be established by the law-making body.

Local authorities, comprising People’s Councils and People’s Committees, will operate according to the characteristics of rural, urban, and island areas.

For special administrative-economic units, their local administration structure will be determined when established.

A key provision of the resolution specifies that all district-level administrative units will cease operation nationwide from July 1.

The transitional organizational process for public agencies will not include elections for titles such as chairpersons or vice-chairpersons of People’s Councils and Committees in newly-formed administrative areas after restructuring.

Instead, leadership appointments will be made through designation.

The NA Standing Committee will assign heads and deputy heads of provincial People’s Councils and NA delegations in newly-formed provinces and centrally-run cities.

The prime minister will appoint chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of provincial People’s Committees.

The Standing Committee of provincial People’s Councils will designate members of local People’s Committees' and Councils' leadership at the grassroots level.

In exceptional cases, officials who are not elected council members may be appointed to key leadership roles or act as temporary members to form transitional councils, especially in wards under urban administration models that do not currently have elected councils.

The amended Constitution also redefines the role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, emphasizing its function as a political alliance of social and political organizations, social groups, and prominent individuals, including overseas Vietnamese.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front, led by the Communist Party of Vietnam, is an essential part of the political system, playing a central role in promoting national solidarity, reflecting public opinion, participating in governance oversight, and helping build and defend the nation.

Mass organizations such as the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, the Vietnam Farmers' Union, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Vietnam Women’s Union, and the Vietnam Veterans Association will continue to operate under the umbrella of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, advocating for and protecting the rights and interests of their members.

Nguyen Khac Dinh, vice-chairman of the NA, described the resolution as a historic milestone and a bold institutional reform that reflects a revolutionary shift in political organization and national governance.

Minh Duy - Thanh Chung / Tuoi Tre News

(2025/06/16-17:41)