The apparatus has been arranged but the operating quality is not uniform.
The Party Central Committee Office has just issued Notice No. 100-TB/VPTW, dated June 19, 2026, announcing the Conclusion of General Secretary, President To Lam at the working session with the Central Steering Committee on the preliminary review of 1 year of operating the overall organizational model of the political system, the 3-level government model.
According to Notice No. 100, dated June 18, 2026, General Secretary and President To Lam worked with the Central Steering Committee on the preliminary review of 1 year of operating the overall organizational model of the political system, the 3-level government model.
After listening to the Central Organization Committee (Standing Agency of the Steering Committee) present the draft Report summarizing 1 year of operation of the overall organizational model of the political system, the 3-level government model, and the opinions expressed by the delegates, the General Secretary and President concluded as follows:
Basically unifying the layout, content of assessment, and comments in the draft Report. Through a preliminary review of 1 year, the entire political system has completed a very large volume of work, successfully structuring the apparatus in a short time.
The Draft Report fully and comprehensively assesses the outstanding results in the operation of the overall organizational model of the political system, the 3-level government model; identifying "bottlenecks" and "knotholes" that need to be removed, ensuring smooth and effective operation, promoting the role and responsibility of the head. Besides the initial results, there are still many issues that need to be considered, amended, supplemented and adjusted.
The apparatus has been arranged, but the operating quality is not uniform. The number of organizational focal points has decreased, but management efficiency has not met requirements. Authority is decentralized, but resources, capacity and implementation tools have not met the requirements and practical tasks in the new period.
Agree to approve the content of the Preliminary Report to submit to the Politburo for consideration and comments at the meeting on June 26, 2026. Assign the Central Organization Committee to preside over and coordinate with the Party Central Committee Office to urgently fully absorb the opinions at the meeting and complete the Preliminary Report to send to Politburo members for comments according to regulations.
Research and supplement the establishment of special urban administrative units
The General Secretary and President's concluding notice also clearly stated that the Central Organization Committee is assigned to preside over and closely coordinate with the Government Party Committee; the National Assembly Party Committee; the Fatherland Front Party Committee, central mass organizations; Party committees of central Party agencies, the Central Military Commission, the Central Public Security Party Committee, central Party committees, the Central Party Office, provincial and city Party committees to continue to complete the Report to submit to the National Preliminary Review Conference (July 1, 2026) according to a number of suggested orientations as follows:
Focus on thoroughly assessing the synchronicity, unity, transparency, and specificity of the current legal system, especially laws related to the activities of local authorities in a number of fields: science, technology, innovation, digital transformation; land, resources, minerals, forestry; finance-budget; decentralization, delegation of power and boundary of authority between the Central Government and localities.
Detailed and specific assessment of implementation capacity at the commune level compared to assigned tasks, especially in the fields of land, construction, finance, justice, industry and trade, agriculture, environment, cultural and social fields... associated with staffing targets, the number of in-depth professional staff, arranging job positions suitable to professional expertise and practical requirements.
Clearly identify the limitations and inadequacies between regulations on a model and the decentralization framework applied in different local practices in terms of development level, personnel capacity, geographical conditions and transport infrastructure, information technology (especially for commune levels according to urban and large city areas different from rural and mountainous areas).
Carefully assess the suitability between decentralization and delegation of power associated with the allocation of resources (human resources, funds); in which, the allocation of revenue and expenditure tasks of the commune budget compared to the tasks of communes and wards.
Supplementing assessments and evaluations of the organization and operation of the defense area, the all-people national defense posture and the people's security posture in the 2-level local government model.
Carefully assess the operational efficiency of judicial agencies after switching to the regional model (after the end of operation of 3 high-level courts; 3 high-level People's Procuracies and the end of operation of institutes and district-level courts).
Supplementing assessments of the effectiveness, autonomy, and rationality of the operating model for public non-business units after arrangement.
Specific and detailed assessment of the current status of digital infrastructure, telecommunications infrastructure, information technology, data and specialized software equipped for grassroots authorities (quality of telecommunications infrastructure, information technology, digital transformation; large number of software, but incompatible and unsynchronized; incomplete data and lack of connection and sharing..., especially in remote, mountainous, and border areas).
Evaluate and clarify the necessity to continue adjusting and merging a number of communes and wards based on reviewing criteria on area, population, infrastructure and personnel capacity, development requirements, to promote the advantages of state management according to scale and promote the application of information technology and digital transformation.
Research and supplement the establishment of special urban administrative units with core characteristics to coordinate development, connect infrastructure, public services and key economic spaces.
Review, identify, and thoroughly assess "risks" to have directions and solutions to overcome and adjust in a timely manner:
The reform of the organizational structure of the political system has only stopped at "reducing focal points" and is not yet "ensuring improved service capacity".
The difference in the quality of public services between large cities and remote and isolated areas; between places with good digital capacity and places with weakness.
The team of grassroots officials is overloaded, under great pressure, easily leading to a psychology of fear of being wrong and avoiding work.
The new administrative boundaries are not really suitable for the economic space, urban space, industrial parks, tourist areas, ecological zones and development corridors.
People have to go further, access public services is more difficult, takes more time, and is more costly when carrying out procedures due to unreasonable service points.
