Streamlining apparatus: A revolution for national advancement

Amidst the urgent need to harness and integrate all advantages and strengths to usher the nation into a new era — the era of national resurgence — the 13th Party Central Committee convened on November 25, 2024, to deliberate and reach a consensus on several key issues, including a strategy to streamline the apparatus of the political system as well as a task of summarizing and evaluating the implementation of the 12th Party Central Committee’s Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, dated October 25, 2017. Accordingly, streamlining the apparatus is deemed as a very important task — a revolutionary step in organizational restructuring and a prerequisite for the nation to step into a new era of national revitalization advancement.

An extremely important task

The policy of streamlining the organizational structure of the political system has been emphasized in many Party Congress terms. During the 12th Party congress, the Party Central Committee issued the Resolution No. 18 on reforming and streamlining the apparatus of the political system to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency. In a recent national conference report summarizing key aspects of implementing the Resolution No. 18, Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee  and Head of the Central Organization Commission Le Minh Hung highlighted: “Over the past seven years, with strong determination and efforts from the Party Central Committee, Party committees at all levels and particularly heads of organizations, the implementation of the Resolution No. 18 has yielded significant results. These outcomes have laid the groundwork for positive changes in restructuring the apparatus, enhancing the operational effectiveness and efficiency of agencies, units and organizations within the political system​.

Provincial Party Standing Committee convenes the 11th provincial Party Executive Committee conference for the 2020-2025 term to summarize the implementation of the 12th Party Central Committee’s Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017

For various reasons, the restructuring of the organizational apparatus remains inconsistent and lacks a comprehensive approach. It has not been effectively linked with making staff reduction, restructuring or improving the quality of cadres, civil servants and public employees. The organizational structure of the political system remains bulky, with numerous layers and overlapping entities. The functions, tasks, powers and working relationships of many agencies, units, and organizations are unclear, often redundant and overlapping. Decentralization of authority to localities remain weak, inconsistent and irrational, failing to meet the demands and tasks of the new era​. The primary cause lies in the incomplete overarching model of the political system’s structure. Additionally, the awareness and actions of Party committees, leadership collectives and heads of agencies, organizations, units and localities are often insufficient and superficial. Their determination has not been strong enough and actions have lacked decisiveness​.

At the national conference in early December 2024 on reviewing the Resolution No.18 of the Party Central Committee, General Secretary To Lam emphasized the urgency of restructuring the political system's apparatus to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency. He said this task is of paramount importance, requiring the highest determination and coordinated efforts across the political system. He acknowledged that the goal of streamlining the apparatus has been raised in multiple National Party Congresses, particularly since the 12th Congress. This shows that the Party has been aware of the importance of the task but previous efforts have fallen short of expectations.

The Party leader urged all levels and sectors to maintain a strong determination to realize the policy. He said this task is of special importance and a revolution in streamlining the political system. "The reform does not mean merely reducing the scale but also raising the quality of the political system. Leaders of Party Committees and agencies need to set an example and be resolute in fulfilling assigned tasks. Those at the central or provincial level should not wait for the district level. The district level should not wait for the grassroots level. The central level sets the example, and the local levels respond", said the Party leader. 

Urgent and drastic action

In the face of demands and tasks of a new phase of development as the nation steps into a new era of resurgence, the Party Central Committee and the Politburo have demonstrated a strong consensus and resolute political will to comprehensively and promptly review the Resolution No. 18 within the entire political system. The Politburo has identified the review of the Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and the restructuring of the political system’s apparatus as an exceptionally important task. This effort represents a revolutionary step towards streamlining the political system to ensure effective and efficient operations. A high level of consensus in awareness and action is essential within the Party and the entire political system​.

Under the Central Steering Committee’s Directive No. 09-KL/BCĐ dated November 24, 2024 on reviewing the implementation of the Resolution No. 18, provincial Party Standing Committee has concentrated on leading efforts to streamline and restructure the apparatus under centrally-oriented models. Accordingly, on December 1, 2024, provincial Party Standing Committee issued the Decision No. 1748-QĐ/TU, establishing a steering group and a working group for summarizing the implementation of the Resolution No. 18. The steering group is led by Nguyen Van Loi, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of provincial Party Committee and Head of provincial National Assembly Deputy Delegation​.

With urgency and determination, on December 17, 2024, provincial Party Standing Committee convened the 11th provincial Party Executive Committee Conference for the 2020-2025 term. The conference aimed at reviewing the implementation of the 12th Party Central Committee’s Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017, on “Some issues regarding the continued renovation and organisation of a streamlined, effective and efficient political system”. Speaking at the conference, provincial Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Loi stressed that with strong political determination from central to local levels, this is the decisive moment to resolutely lead the streamlining of the apparatus for effective and efficient operations​. Building on this spirit, it is essential to continue implementing synchronous solutions, starting with strict adherence to central directives. Agencies, units and localities must continue reviewing and reorganizing their internal structures with the goal of eliminating intermediate levels and ensuring no overlap in functions and tasks. At the same time, it is necessary to incorporate new responsibilities in line with the nation's and province's development orientations​.

In parallel, it is essential to intensify propaganda efforts through mass media to foster high consensus across the Party, the political system and people. Relevant provincial agencies must promptly assimilate central directives and develop locally appropriate policies for streamlining the apparatus, ensuring that the new apparatus is better than the old one...

​Reported by Tri Dung-Translated by Kim Tin