Focus on amending the Constitution and related laws, opening up a new situation for national development in a new era with a long-term vision.

Focus on amending the Constitution and related laws, opening up a new situation for national development in a new era with a long-term vision.

Editorial: This morning, April 16, at the National Assembly House, the Politburo and the Secretariat held a national conference to disseminate and implement the Resolution of the 11th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee, organized by the Politburo and the Secretariat. At the conference, Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man presented the topic "On amending the Constitution and laws; Directions for the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term".

People's Representative Newspaper respectfully introduces the Special Topic:

On amending the constitution and laws

Dear comrades, the laws and resolutions passed at the 9th Extraordinary Session of the 15th National Assembly related to the reorganization of the state apparatus and the promotion of socio-economic development, ensuring national defense, security and foreign affairs have been effectively serving the revolution of reorganization and streamlining the political system's apparatus, promptly removing difficulties and institutional obstacles, creating breakthroughs for development, promoting resources, creating new development space for localities and the whole country, in accordance with the Party's policies and resolutions.

1. Implement Resolution No. 60-NQ/TW dated April 12, 2025 of the 11th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee, including merging provincial-level administrative units, not organizing district-level, merging commune-level and building a 2-level local government organization model; arranging socio-political organizations and mass organizations assigned by the Party and State into the Vietnam Fatherland Front... opening up a new situation for national development in a new era with a long-term vision.

To meet the above requirements, the scope of this amendment and supplement to the Constitution focuses on two groups of contents:

One is : The provisions of the 2013 Constitution related to the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations (concentrated in Articles 9 and 10) to meet the requirements of streamlining the organizational apparatus, promoting the role, responsibility, and proactiveness of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the role of gathering classes and strata, strongly oriented towards residential areas, close to the people, to each household.

Second : Provisions in Chapter 9 of the 2013 Constitution to implement the two-level local government organization model.

2. Because the scope of this amendment and supplement to the Constitution is limited, expected to only involve about 08/120 articles of the 2013 Constitution, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly will submit to the National Assembly the form of a document as a Resolution of the National Assembly (similar to what was done in the amendments and supplements to the Constitution in 1988, 1989 and 2001).

Special attention is paid to collecting public opinions on the amendment of the Constitution (from May 6 to June 5, 2025). It is recommended that the Government and the Front conduct the work scientifically, democratically, practically, publicly and transparently (note the collection of community opinions according to the Law on Implementing Democracy at the Grassroots Level).

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man presented Topic 2: "On amending the Constitution and laws; Directions for the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term". Photo: Ho Long

3. Agencies and organizations, within their scope of authority and areas of responsibility, have reviewed and compiled a list of legal documents affected by the amendment and supplementation of the Constitution, specifically as follows:

According to the Government's Report, there are about 19,220 documents issued by the Central and local levels with content directly affected by the implementation of the policy of continuing to reorganize the apparatus of the political system, including 1,180 documents from the Central level and 18,040 from localities.

Will amend related contents in Laws such as: Law on Organization of Local Government, Law on Election of National Assembly Deputies and People's Council Deputies, Law on Organization of People's Courts, Law on Organization of People's Procuracy, Law on Organization of Criminal Investigation Agencies, Law on Cadres and Civil Servants, Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents, Laws on Proceedings, Law on Handling of Administrative Violations... directly related to the organization of apparatus, basic rights and interests of people, organizations, enterprises, local authorities and directly impacting socio-economic development, national defense, security, in the fields of budget, investment, and planning.

When making amendments and supplements, special attention should be paid to promoting decentralization and delegation of power, as General Secretary To Lam has repeatedly requested that localities decide, localities act, and localities take responsibility, clearly demarcating the authority between the central and local levels, between the provincial and communal levels, clearly identifying which tasks of the district government need to be transferred to the communal government or assigned to the provincial government to facilitate localities in the implementation process.

As of April 14, 2025, at the Ninth Session, the National Assembly will give opinions and pass 31 draft laws and 12 resolutions; give opinions on 10 draft laws (not including resolutions on the arrangement of provincial and communal administrative units that will be considered and decided during the Session). This is the largest workload ever in the history of National Assembly sessions.

4. Regarding the handling plan: based on research, review and assessment by the National Assembly, the Government, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuracy..., the Central Committee has agreed to:

Firstly , give top priority to solutions to issues related to the organization and reorganization of the apparatus and local government at two levels using general principles that can be applied widely without having to immediately amend or supplement laws, resolutions of the National Assembly and other current legal documents.

Depending on the scope, requirements, and content of the issues to be handled, the National Assembly may consider adding transitional provisions to the laws and resolutions to be passed at the session, such as the Law on Organization of Local Government, laws on organizational apparatus, Resolution on merging provinces and centrally run cities, etc., amend and supplement the articles of Resolution No. 190/2025/QH15, or issue a new resolution stipulating principles for handling these contents.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man presented Topic 2: "On amending the Constitution and laws; Directions for the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term". Photo: Ho Long

Second , in addition to the draft laws and resolutions already included in the agenda for the Ninth Session, it is expected that about 20 draft laws will need to be added to the agenda. The amendment and supplementation of these laws can be done by one of the following methods: using one law to amend many laws; promulgating a law amending and supplementing a number of articles or promulgating a new law to replace the current law.

Third , for laws and resolutions of the National Assembly that stipulate the tasks and powers of agencies, organizations and local authorities at all levels that cannot be amended or supplemented immediately, the Government and competent agencies shall proactively issue documents to temporarily define the tasks and powers of agencies and promptly handle issues arising in the process of implementing the organizational arrangement according to the general principles identified in Resolution No. 190/2025/QH15 and the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Government.

5. The amendment of the Constitution and related laws and resolutions must be completed before June 30, 2025 and take effect from July 1, 2025.

In particular, it stipulates transitional provisions to complete the consolidation and reorganization of the apparatus and commune-level administrative units officially come into operation no later than August 15, 2025, and provincial-level administrative units officially come into operation no later than September 15, 2025. There are specific instructions to ensure smooth, uninterrupted operations, in accordance with the roadmap and implementation plan.

The 9th Session is expected to open on May 5, 2025 and close on June 30, 2025. From April 14, 2025, the National Assembly Standing Committee will hold its 44th session for 2 weeks to review and comment on the contents submitted to the National Assembly at the 9th Session. On April 15, 2025, the National Assembly Standing Committee issued Resolution No. 76 on the arrangement of administrative units in 2025 (reducing 60% to 70% of the total number of commune-level administrative units nationwide) and agreed on the content submitted to the National Assembly for consideration of amending and supplementing a number of articles of the 2013 Constitution.

6. I pay special attention to the dissemination work in agencies, units, localities, organizations, propaganda, and widespread mobilization among the entire population, orienting public opinion, ensuring solidarity, consensus, high unity, and determination to implement among cadres, party members, and people of all walks of life.

On the direction of election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026 - 2031 term.

First , the context of this election is reflected in four issues:

Innovations in the 2013 Constitution; Law on Organization of the National Assembly, Law on Organization of the Government, Law on Organization of Local Government, Law on Election of Deputies to the National Assembly and People's Councils...

Merging provinces and centrally-run cities; at the same time implementing a two-level local government model: provincial and communal levels.

Arrange and streamline socio-political organizations and mass organizations assigned by the Party and State to be directly under the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

The election is expected to be held earlier than the previous election to create synchronization with Party committees at all levels and promptly implement the resolution of the 14th Party Congress.

Establish the National Election Council (expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for approval at the 9th Session of the 15th National Assembly). The election date for the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term is expected to be Sunday, March 15, 2026, and the first session of the National Assembly will be held on April 6, 2026. Therefore, agencies, units, and localities must proactively prepare early, remotely, immediately after this conference.

Delegates attending the conference. Photo: Ho Long

Second , regarding the direction, organizational tasks and preparation work: the general spirit is the same as the previous term election, however, there is a new requirement to apply information technology in the election work, in managing the voter list, posting the candidate list and announcing the election results.

Third , on the number of National Assembly and People's Council deputies

The number of National Assembly deputies is expected to be 500, of which the proportion of full-time National Assembly deputies is at least 40%. General orientation on structure: Young deputies (under 40 years old) about 10%; Re-elected deputies about 30%; female deputies at least 35%, and deputies from ethnic minorities at least 18% of the total number of people on the official list of candidates for National Assembly deputies.

The number of People's Council delegates is based on the population size of each administrative unit; implemented according to the provisions of the Law on Organization of Local Government.

In case the Chairman of the Provincial People's Council is a full-time People's Council delegate, there will be 1 full-time Vice Chairman of the People's Council; in case the Chairman of the People's Council is a part-time delegate, there will be 2 full-time Vice Chairmen of the People's Council.

In case the Head of the Provincial People's Council is a full-time People's Council delegate, the Committee has 1 full-time Deputy Head; in case the Head of the Provincial People's Council is a part-time People's Council delegate, the Committee has 2 full-time Deputy Heads.

At the commune level (including communes, wards, and special zones): The structure of full-time representatives in the People's Council is expected to be 1 Vice Chairman and 2 Deputy Heads of the Board.

General orientation on the structure of People's Council delegates at all levels: Delegates who are not from the Party, strive to achieve a rate of not less than 10% at each level. Young delegates (under 35 years old), strive to achieve a rate of not less than 15%. Re-elected delegates, strive to achieve a rate of not less than 30%; ensure that at least 35% of the people on the official list of candidates are women. Ensure a reasonable rate of ethnic minorities in accordance with the population characteristics of each locality.

Fourth , regarding the representative standards, it is basically the same as the previous election, however, there is a new point: priority is given to people with qualifications in science and technology and people with basic training in law.

As of March 2026, must be old enough to have completed one term, Male (March 1969), Female (September 1972) or later; re-election must have at least 36 months left, Male (March 1967), Female (May 1971) or later, (some specific subjects will have more detailed instructions).

And especially thoroughly grasp the request of General Secretary To Lam speaking at the closing session of the 11th Central Conference: must take the highest standard as the job requirements , then come to other criteria.

Fifth , regarding the requirements for election work, the Politburo requires Party committees and Party organizations to lead and direct the implementation of the following basic tasks:

There is a specific leadership and direction plan to successfully organize the election. Provincial and municipal Party Committees establish Steering Committees to comprehensively lead the election work, directly directing from the provincial to the communal level.

Good leadership in personnel work, ensuring the promotion of democracy and the Party's centralized and unified leadership in personnel work.

There are solutions to direct the election of sufficient numbers of National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies at all levels, with special attention paid to the quality of deputies, while ensuring a reasonable structure.

Focus on leading and directing well the organization of consultations to introduce candidates for the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels.

Direct well the propaganda work, widely disseminate the content, requirements, and significance of the election; regulations of the Law on Election of National Assembly Deputies and People's Council Deputies.

Closely direct the assurance of political security and social order and safety; promptly and legally resolve citizens' complaints and denunciations.

Conference scene. Photo: Ho Long

The National Assembly Party Committee, the Government Party Committee, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Party Committee, the Central Party Committees, the National Election Council, Party committees and organizations at all levels will issue specific plans for implementation and guidance.

As General Secretary To Lam stated at the closing session of the 11th Central Committee Conference: the work ahead is very busy, the reality of life is urgent, the people and party members are waiting, the tasks ahead are very heavy and difficult... The National Assembly will continue to strongly innovate, improve the quality and efficiency of its operations, and demonstrate the highest sense of responsibility before the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, voters and the people. The National Assembly Party Committee will lead and direct the full implementation of Resolution No. 60 dated April 12, 2025 of the 11th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee; closely, substantially and regularly coordinate with the Government Party Committee (the two sides will hold a joint meeting to thoroughly and comprehensively review and unify the content and program of the Session ) ; thoroughly disseminate to the Nationalities Council, the National Assembly Committees, the Party Groups and the National Assembly delegations so that the 9th Session of the 15th National Assembly will be a great success.

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* Title by People's Representative Newspaper

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/tap-trung-sua-doi-hien-phap-va-cac-luat-lien-quan-mo-ra-cuc-dien-moi-phat-trien-dat-nuoc-trong-ky-nguyen-moi-voi-tam-nhin-lau-dai-post410418.html