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| National Assembly deputies vote to adopt a resolution on amending and supplementing several articles of the 2013 Constitution on May 5__Photo: VNA |
The National Assembly is currently seeking public input on a Draft Resolution on amendments and supplements to several provisions of the 2013 Constitution. The proposed changes aim to institutionalize the Party’s resolutions on restructuring the political system, enhance the effectiveness of socio-political organizations, and reform the organization of local administration to better align with the country’s development goals, digital transformation demands, and international integration efforts.
1. Article 9 – On the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations
The draft amendment reaffirms the core role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front within the political system. Accordingly, the Front is placed under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and regarded as the political base of the people's administration and the center of the national great solidarity bloc. The Front is responsible for expressing the will and aspirations of the people, promoting the people's mastery, conducting oversight and social criticism, and representing and protecting the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of the people.
The draft also includes a general provision on socio-political organizations, including the Trade Union of Vietnam, the Vietnam Peasants’ Association, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Vietnam Women’s Union, and the Vietnam War Veterans’ Association, stipulating that these organizations are to be identified as subordinate to the Vietnam Fatherland Front. This amendment aims to reduce functional overlap while also affirming the principle of “democratic consultation”—a fundamental operational principle reflecting the voluntary alliance nature of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.
| The 2013 Constitution | Draft amendments |
| Article 9 1. The Vietnam Fatherland Front is a political alliance and a voluntary union of the political organization, socio-political organizations and social organizations, and prominent individuals representing their class, social strata, ethnicity or religion and overseas Vietnamese. The Vietnam Fatherland Front shall constitute the political base of the people’s administration; represent and protect the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of the People; rally and fully utilize the strength of the great national unity, exercise democracy and promote social consensus; conduct social supervision and criticism; and participate in the building of the Party and the State, and in people-to-people external relations’ activities, thus contributing to national construction and defense. | Article 9 1. The Vietnam Fatherland Front is a political alliance and a voluntary union of the political organization, socio-political organizations and social organizations, and prominent individuals representing their class, social strata, ethnicity or religion and overseas Vietnamese. The Vietnam Fatherland Front shall constitute a component of the political system of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam; be the political base of the people’s administration; rally and fully utilize the strength of the great national unity; demonstrate the will and aspirations of the People and promote the People’s mastery; represent and protect the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of the People; exercise democracy and promote social consensus; conduct social supervision and criticism; convey the opinions and recommendations of the People to state agencies; and participate in the building of the Party and the State and in people-to-people external relations activities, thus contributing to national construction and defense. |
| 2. The Trade Union of Vietnam, the Vietnam Peasants’ Association, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Vietnam Women’s Union, and the Vietnam War Veterans’ Association are socio-political organizations established on a voluntary basis to represent and protect the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of their members; and, together with other member organizations of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, coordinate and unify action within the Front. | 2. The Trade Union of Vietnam, the Vietnam Peasants’ Association, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Vietnam Women’s Union, and the Vietnam War Veterans’ Association are socio-political organizations subordinate to the Vietnam Fatherland Front, which are established on a voluntary basis to represent and protect the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of their members; are organized and operate uniformly within the Vietnam Fatherland Front; and, together with other member organizations of the Front, conduct democratic consultation and coordinate and unify action under the chair of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. |
| 3. The Vietnam Fatherland Front, its member organizations, and other social organizations shall operate within the framework of the Constitution and law. The State shall create the conditions for the Vietnam Fatherland Front, its member organizations and other social organizations to operate. | 3. The Vietnam Fatherland Front, its member organizations, and other social organizations shall operate within the framework of the Constitution, law, the charter of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and the charters of each organization. The State shall create conditions for the Vietnam Fatherland Front, its member organizations, and other social organizations to operate. |
2. Article 10 – On the Trade Union of Vietnam
The Trade Union of Vietnam continues to be recognized as a socio-political organization of the working class and laborers, and as the sole representative of workers at the national level in labor relations and in international trade union relations.
This amendment seeks to safeguard the important and irreplaceable role of the Trade Union of Vietnam in the context of international integration, particularly as illegal organizations have emerged falsely claiming to represent Vietnamese workers with the intent of undermining the Party, the State, and the official trade union organization.
| The 2013 Constitution | Draft amendments |
| Article 10 The Trade Union of Vietnam is a socio-political organization of the working class and laborers voluntarily established to represent laborers, care for and protect the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of laborers; participate in the state management and socio-economic management; participate in the examination, inspection and supervision of the operations of state agencies, organizations, units and enterprises regarding issues related to the rights and obligations of laborers; and mobilize laborers to learn to improve their professional qualifications and skills, abide by law, and build and defend the Fatherland. | Article 10 The Trade Union of Vietnam is a socio-political organization of the working class and laborers, operating under the Vietnam Fatherland Front; representing, caring for, and protecting the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of trade union members and laborers; acting as the representative of laborers at the national level in labor relations and international trade union affairs; participates in state management and socio-economic management; participating in the examination, inspection, and supervision of the operations of state agencies, organizations, units, and enterprises regarding issues related to the rights and obligations of laborers; and mobilizing laborers to learn to improve their professional qualifications and skills, abide by law, and build and defend the Fatherland. |
3. Article 84 – On the right to submit draft laws and ordinances
The draft amendment proposes that the right to submit draft laws to the National Assembly and draft ordinances to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly be granted solely to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, rather than extended to the Front’s member organizations as was previously the case. This change aims to ensure consistency, streamlining, and alignment with the Front’s new organizational structure.
| The 2013 Constitution | Draft amendments |
| Article 84.1 1. The President, Standing Committee of the National Assembly, Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, Government, Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuracy, State Audit Office, Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and central bodies of the Front’s member organizations have the right to submit draft laws to the National Assembly and to submit draft ordinances to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly. | Article 84.1 1. The President, Standing Committee of the National Assembly, Ethnic Council, Committees of the National Assembly, Government, Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuracy, State Audit Office, and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front have the right to submit draft laws to the National Assembly and to submit draft ordinances to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly. |
4. Article 110 – On the organization of administrative units
The 2013 Constitution provides for a three-tier administrative model (province – district – commune). However, to streamline the apparatus, reduce overlaps, and improve governance efficiency in the context of digital transformation and international integration, the draft proposes a shift to a two-tier model, comprising provinces/centrally-run cities and subordinate administrative units.
The determination of specific types of administrative units and the procedures for their establishment, dissolution, and adjustment of administrative boundaries will be decided by the National Assembly. This provision facilitates the institutionalization of the two-tier local administration model in the amended Law on Organization of Local Administration.
| The 2013 Constitution | Draft amendments |
| Article 110 1. The administrative units of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam shall be defined as follows: The country shall be divided into provinces and centrally run cities; A province shall be divided into rural districts, towns, and provincial cities; a centrally run city shall be divided into urban districts, rural districts, towns, and equivalent administrative units; A rural district shall be divided into communes and townships; a town or provincial city shall be divided into wards and communes; and an urban district shall be divided into wards; Special administrative-economic units may be established by the National Assembly. 2. The establishment, dissolution, consolidation, separation or adjustment of the boundaries of, an administrative unit must be consulted with local People and must comply with the process and procedures prescribed by a law. | Article 110 1. The administrative units of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam shall include provinces, centrally run cities, and administrative units subordinate to provinces and centrally run cities. 2. Special administrative-economic units may be established by the National Assembly. 3. The determination of types of administrative units subordinate to provinces and centrally run cities, as well as the procedures for the establishment, dissolution, consolidation, separation or adjustment of the boundaries of, administrative units shall be decided by the National Assembly. |
5. Articles 111, 112, 114 – On the organization of local administration
The draft eliminates the term “local administration levels” to avoid confusion, while affirming that local administration consists of the People’s Council and the People’s Committee. The basic organizational principles and working procedures of provincial- and communal-level People’s Councils and People’s Committees remain unchanged, ensuring consistency and effectiveness in state administrative operations at the local level.
| The 2013 Constitution | Draft amendments |
| Article 111.2 2. Local administration levels composed of the People’s Council and People’s Committee shall be organized consistent with the characteristics of the rural areas, urban areas, islands or special administrative-economic units prescribed by a law. | Article 111.2 2. Local administration composed of the People’s Council and People’s Committee shall be organized at administrative units in consistency with the characteristics of the rural areas, urban areas, islands or special administrative-economic units as prescribed by the National Assembly. |
| Article 112.2 2. The tasks and powers of local administrations shall be determined on the basis of determining the powers between state agencies at the central and local levels and for each local administration level. | Article 112.2 2. The tasks and powers of local administrations shall be determined on the basis of determining the powers between state agencies at the central and local levels and for local administration at each level. |
| Article 114.1 1. The People’s Committee at a local administration level, which shall be elected by the People’s Council of the same level, is the executive body of the respective People’s Council and is the local state administrative body, and is responsible to the People’s Council and state administrative agencies at higher levels. | Article 114.1 1. The People’s Committee, which shall be elected by the People’s Council of the same level, is the executive body of the respective People’s Council and is the local state administrative body, and is responsible to the People’s Council and state administrative agencies at higher levels. |
6. Article 115 – On the right of oversight and interpellation
In line with the policy to terminate the operation of district-level administrative units, the district-level People’s Courts and People’s Procuracies will be replaced by regional-level People’s Courts and People’s Procuracies, which are not tied to any specific administrative unit. As a result, there will no longer be a corresponding People’s Council to exercise the right of interpellation.
Nevertheless, the People’s Council retains its oversight authority over compliance with the Constitution and laws within the locality, including oversight of the operations of the People’s Court, the People’s Procuracy, and other local state agencies. Delegates of the People’s Council continue to have the right to make recommendations and request responses from relevant agencies, organizations, and units in accordance with the law. Thus, the mechanism for state power control among local agencies, organizations, and competent individuals remains ensured.
| The 2013 Constitution | Draft amendments |
| Article 115.2 2. A People’s Council deputy has the right to raise questions to the Chairperson or other members of the People’s Committee, Chief Justice of the People’s Court, Chief Procurator of the People’s Procuracy, and Heads of the agencies of the People’s Committee. The questioned persons shall present their answers before the People’s Council. A People’s Council deputy has the right to make proposals to state agencies, organizations, and units in the locality. The heads of those agencies, organizations or units shall receive the deputy, then consider and resolve the issues raised in his or her proposals. | Article 115.2 2. A People’s Council deputy has the right to raise questions to the Chairperson or other members of the People’s Committee, and Heads of the agencies of the People’s Committee. The questioned persons shall present their answers before the People’s Council. A People’s Council deputy has the right to make proposals to state agencies, organizations, and units in the locality. The heads of those agencies, organizations or units shall receive the deputy, then consider and resolve the issues raised in his or her proposals. |
(VLLF)
