Official: Law on Organization of Local Governments in 2025 in Vietnam
Has the Law on Organization of Local Governments in 2025 in Vietnam been issued?
On February 19, 2025, the National Assembly promulgated the Local Government Organization Law 2025, which takes effect from March 1, 2025.
Article 1 of the Local Government Organization Law 2025 stipulates that the administrative units of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam include:
- Province, centrally-run city (commonly referred to as provincial level)
- District, urban district, district-level town, provincial city, city under a centrally-run city (commonly referred to as district level)
- Commune, ward, commune-level town (commonly referred to as commune level)
- Special administrative-economic unit established by decision of the National Assembly.
Depending on geographical conditions, population, socio-economic development requirements, ensuring national defense and security, district-level administrative units on islands and archipelagos (collectively referred to as islands) may not organize commune-level administrative units.
Official: Law on Organization of Local Governments in 2025 in Vietnam (Image from the Internet)
What are standards for deputies of the People's Councils in Vietnam?
According to Article 5 of the Local Government Organization Law 2025 on the People's Council:
Article 5. People's Council
- The People's Council comprises People's Council deputies elected by local voters, is the local state authority, representing the will, aspirations, and ownership rights of the People, accountable to the local People and higher state agencies.
- People's Council deputies are representatives of the will and aspirations of the local People, accountable to local voters and the People's Council for performing their duties and exercising their rights as deputies.
- People's Council deputies must meet the following standards:
a) Loyal to the Fatherland, the People, and the Constitution, striving to implement the reforms for the goals of a rich people, a strong country, democracy, justice, and civilization;
b) Having only one nationality, which is Vietnamese nationality;
[...]
People's Council deputies must meet the following standards:
- Loyal to the Fatherland, the People, and the Constitution, striving to implement reforms for the goals of a rich people, strong country, democracy, justice, and civilization
- Having only one nationality, which is Vietnamese nationality
- Possessing good moral qualities, diligence, thriftiness, integrity, impartiality, setting an example in complying with the law; capable, determined to fight against corruption, negativity, waste, any manifestation of bureaucracy, authoritarianism, and other law violations
- Having the necessary education, expertise, capability, health, work experience, and reputation to perform the duties of a deputy; having the conditions to participate in the activities of the People's Council
- Residing or working at an agency, organization, or enterprise within the administrative unit where they are a People's Council deputy
- Maintains close ties with the People, listens to the voices of the People, and gains the People's trust
What are the principles for determining the authority of local governments in Vietnam?
Based on Clause 2, Article 11 of the Local Government Organization Law 2025 stipulatingthe principles for determining the authority of local governments in Vietnam:
- Clearly define the content and scope of the tasks and powers that local government has the authority to decide, organize implementation, and be held accountable for the results
- Ensure there is no duplication or overlap of tasks and powers between central and local state agencies, between different levels of local government, and among agencies and organizations under local government
- Suitability to the characteristics of rural, urban, island areas, special administrative-economic units, and the capacity, conditions for task performance, and the authority of local governments at each level. The agencies, organizations, and individuals entrusted with the tasks and powers of the higher-level state agency are ensured the necessary conditions for performing those tasks and powers
- Ensure transparency, responsibility, accountability, and effective power control, associated with the accountability, inspection, auditing, and supervision of higher state agencies; promptly adjust authority distribution and decentralization when agencies, organizations, and individuals delegated authority do not effectively carry out the delegated tasks and powers
- Ensure consistency in the enforcement of the Constitution and laws
- Meet the requirements of local governance; apply science, technology, foster innovation, and digital transformation.
- Matters related to the scope of 02 or more commune-level administrative units are within the jurisdiction of district-level local government; matters related to the scope of 02 or more district-level administrative units are within the jurisdiction of provincial-level local government; matters related to the scope of 02 or more provincial-level administrative units fall under the jurisdiction of central state agencies, unless otherwise stipulated by law or a resolution of the National Assembly.
