Nineteenth National Assembly commences ninth meeting, prioritizing constitutional adjustments and restructuring of administrative divisions.
HÀ NỘI - The 9th session of Vietnam's 15th National Assembly kicks off at the NA building in Hà Nội on May 5, 2025, marking a crucial turning point for the nation. The session will be broadcast live on VTV1 and Radio The Voice of Vietnam.
Before the opening ceremony, leaders paid their respects to the late President Hồ Chí Minh at his mausoleum.
Spanning two stages from May 5 to May 29 and June 11 to June 30, this session promises a slew of game-changing decisions geared towards redefining the nation's administrative landscape.
After careful deliberations, the focus will be on updating the Constitution and relevant laws to set a firm foundation for development, addressing bottlenecks, and fostering decentralization and resource mobilization.
Amending the Constitution and Legislation
The session will see attempts to revise 8 of the 120 articles listed in the Constitution, including pivotal changes to Chapter 9, which deals with the structuring of local government.
The main objectives are to:
- Streamline political and social organizations under the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), including labor unions, farmers' associations, and veterans’ groups.
- Redefine the VFF’s role in governance, highlighting its authority and responsibilities in a consolidated organizational model.
- Enable administrative reforms, including the implementation of a two-tier local government model (provincial and district levels) to reduce bureaucratic layers.
Among the proposed legislation, key focus is on the Law on Personal Data Protection, amendments to the Law on Efficient Energy Use, and the Law on Atomic Energy.
Institutional Reforms and Local Development
The session will not only reflect on existing institutions but also propose system overhauls to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of those in power. Expect changes such as:
- Merging provinces and restructuring local administrations to eliminate redundancy.
- Rationalizing political apparatuses by consolidating state agencies and redefining their functions.
State leaders attend the opening of the 9th session of the 15th-tenure National Assembly on May 5 morning. - VNA/VNS Photo
The Future of Vietnam
This session, which has been dubbed "historically significant," represents an exciting opportunity for systematic change across Vietnam. However, concerns over unconstitutional procedures and the lack of prior public consultation have arisen, signifying the need for transparency and adherence to established processes.
As the news unfolds, stay tuned for updates on how these changes may impact Vietnam's localities and the entire nation.
- During the 9th session of Vietnam's 15th National Assembly, set to commence on May 5, 2025, amendments to the Constitution and relevant laws will be discussed, aiming to streamline political organizations and redefine local government structures.
- In an effort to improve efficiency, the session will seek legislative changes such as updating the Law on Personal Data Protection, amending the Law on Efficient Energy Use, and revising the Law on Atomic Energy.
- The session will also propose institutional reforms, including merging provinces, restructuring local administrations, and consolidating state agencies to eliminate redundancy and increase effectiveness.
- The redefinition of the Vietnam Fatherland Front's (VFF) role in governance is a key objective, with efforts to streamline VFF-affiliated organizations like labor unions, farmers' associations, and veterans' groups.
- Among the proposed administrative reforms, the implementation of a two-tier local government model (provincial and district levels) is likely, aimed at reducing bureaucratic layers.
- Overall, the 15th National Assembly session represents a significant opportunity for systematic change in Vietnam, though concerns over unconstitutional procedures and lack of prior public consultation have been raised, signifying the need for transparency and adherence to established processes.
