Among these achievements, the revolution in restructuring the organisational apparatus of the political system towards being lean, streamlined, strong, effective, and efficient stands out, with the aim of shaping a new development model of a strategic and long-term nature.
Institutional breakthroughs for development
The task of streamlining and reorganising the organisational apparatus of the political system has always received close attention from the Party and has been implemented through various guidelines and resolutions. On October 25, 2017, the 6th Plenary Session of the 12th Party Central Committee issued Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW on reorganising and streamlining the organisational apparatus to ensure effective and efficient operations. After more than seven years of implementation, based on the achievements attained as well as existing shortcomings and limitations, the Central Committee conducted a comprehensive review of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and agreed to continue reorganising the political system’s organisational apparatus in the direction of being lean, streamlined, strong, effective, and efficient.
With a sense of urgency and determination, the entire political system has undertaken an enormous volume of work. The reorganisation of the organisational apparatus has been implemented on a broad scale, including the consolidation and merger of focal points alongside internal restructuring of agencies and organisations at both central and local levels; adjustments to provincial-level administrative boundaries; the establishment of a two-tier local government model without district-level administration; and the merger of commune-level administrative units, on the largest scale in modern history.
As a result, the number of units directly subordinate to the central level was reduced by 34.9%; 100% of Party-affiliated committees and Party civil affairs committees were eliminated; administrative boundary adjustments led to a 46% reduction in the number of provincial-level units; and the merger of commune-level administrative units reduced their number by 66.9% compared with the period before October 2024. From July 1, 2025, the two-tier local government model officially came into operation, immediately implementing the Party’s guidelines and resolutions on socio-economic development and serving the legitimate needs and interests of the people.
This revolution in reorganising and streamlining the political system’s apparatus has provided a significant impetus for the implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. During the 2020–2025 term, despite numerous difficulties and challenges, the country maintained stability and continued to achieve very important and comprehensive results.
In 2025, GDP growth reached 8.02%, placing Viet Nam among the world’s leading performers. On average, growth during the 2021–2025 period reached approximately 6.3%, higher than in the previous period. GDP in 2025 reached 514 billion USD, rising five places to rank 32nd globally; GDP per capita reached approximately 5,026 USD, 1.4 times higher than in 2020, bringing Viet Nam into the group of upper-middle-income countries and exceeding the targets set.
New thinking, new vision
From the outstanding breakthrough results achieved within a short period, the revolution in reorganising the organisational apparatus has yielded many profound theoretical and practical lessons. The foremost lesson is the Party Central Committee’s steadfast adherence to Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought on building a State of the people, by the people, and for the people, while drawing on the lessons of 40 years of renewal to formulate policies with new thinking and a new vision on restructuring the political system’s organisational apparatus in tandem with national development.
This new revolutionary thinking is clearly reflected in the simultaneous streamlining of the organisational apparatus across the entire system, the adjustment of administrative boundaries, and the implementation of a two-tier local government model. This was not a decision driven by voluntarism, but one built on a solid theoretical foundation and a profound synthesis of Viet Nam’s revolutionary practice. The policy is a scientific product crystallising the mettle and intellect of the entire Party and people, shaped through thorough and careful deliberations by the Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat over multiple sessions, together with dedicated contributions from researchers, managers, the scientific community, and broad input from cadres, Party members, and the people via the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations.
The Party Central Committee’s policies, resolutions, and conclusions bear a strong imprint of innovative thinking by closely linking Viet Nam’s revolutionary practice with rapidly changing regional and global contexts that profoundly affect national construction and development. Many new contents and factors have been established, clearly demonstrating the Party’s intellect, resolve, and long-term strategic vision in shaping the overall model of the political system in association with nation-building and development.
At the core is a decisive shift from an administrative management mindset to one focused on service, development facilitation, and modern governance; alongside the identification of new driving pillars, including breakthroughs in the development of science and technology, innovation, and national digital transformation; innovation in law-making and law enforcement; and promoting the role of the state economy while affirming the private economy as one of the most important drivers of the national economy.
The essential lesson lies in renewing creative thinking on the foundation of the Party’s principles of democratic centralism, self-criticism, and criticism. In reviewing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the Party Central Committee frankly acknowledged the shortcomings of a bulky apparatus with overlapping functions under the old model, which not only increased the budgetary burden but also caused stagnation and constrained socio-economic development.
On that basis, the Party Central Committee demonstrated high political resolve and decisive, urgent action under the spirit of “the Party first, the Central level first, then the local level”, reflecting a pioneering attitude and the courage to think and act for the interests of the people and the nation on the part of the Central Committee during the 2020–2025 period.
The revolution in reorganising and streamlining the political system’s apparatus not only demonstrates vision and determination in renewing thinking but also makes an important contribution to supplementing and developing the Party’s theoretical foundations on the renewal path, providing a solid theoretical basis for the Party Central Committee to continue formulating national development strategies in the next stage.
The streamlining revolution also offers an additional practical lesson: when a genuine Party boldly renews itself for the happiness of the people, it unleashes immense strength from the people.
The streamlining revolution also offers an additional practical lesson: when a genuine Party boldly renews itself for the happiness of the people, it unleashes immense strength from the people.
Within a short period, despite numerous challenges, the reorganisation of the apparatus has received broad public support and consensus, alongside the responsible efforts and dedication of cadres and Party members. Millions of public opinions have expressed confidence in the Party’s decisions; more than 90% of collected views showed agreement with the policy of streamlining the organisational apparatus.
Principles such as “the Central level sets the example, localities respond”, “finishing the work rather than watching the clock”, and “serving the people” have gone beyond slogans to become concrete actions, contributing to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the apparatus and better serving the people.
In June 2025 alone, ahead of the official implementation of the two-tier local government model, the National Assembly completed the legal framework with 33 laws, including the Law on the Organisation of Local Government. From June 1 to November 20, 2025, the Government continued to issue more than 150 decrees, including 30 on decentralisation and delegation of authority.
Immediately after the two-tier local government model came into operation, localities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nghe An, Lai Chau, and Dong Thap established units to receive and respond to grassroots feedback. Provinces including Quang Ngai and Quang Tri seconded provincial-level officials to work at the grassroots and participate as members of executive committees, standing committees, and as secretaries, deputy secretaries, chairpersons, and vice chairpersons of communes, wards, and special administrative units.
The draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress affirm the requirement to “steadfastly adhere to, apply, and creatively develop Marxism–Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought, and the theory of the renewal path”, while ensuring the “smooth, synchronised, and effective operation of the new organisational apparatus of the political system; enhancing the Party’s leadership and governing role, its combativeness, and the State’s capacity for management, governance, and development facilitation”. This constitutes a firm foundation of confidence for the country to overcome challenges, seize opportunities and momentum, and advance towards the goal of building a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, civilised, and happy Viet Nam, steadily progressing towards socialism.
