Two-level local government model: Commune-level administrative units will be reorganized

People carry out administrative procedures in Yen Duong commune, Tam Dao district, Vinh Phuc province. (Photo: Hoang Hung/VNA)

The Ministry of Home Affairs is seeking comments on the draft Law on Organization of Local Government (amended). In particular, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposes to amend regulations related to the organization of administrative units and the two-level local government model.

The draft Law on Organization of Local Government (amended) consists of 7 chapters and 49 articles (1 article less than Law No. 65/2025/QH15), of which: 9 articles are maintained, 3 articles related to the tasks and powers of district-level local governments are removed; 2 new articles are added due to separating the provisions on the tasks and powers of the People's Council of the province with the centrally-run city and of the commune with the ward to more specifically stipulate the tasks and powers of the People's Council at administrative units in each field.

The draft Law also amends and supplements 35 articles to conform to the conversion of the local government organization model from 3 levels (provincial, district and communal levels) to 2 levels (provincial and grassroots levels).

In the draft, the Ministry of Home Affairs provides regulations on reorganizing current commune-level administrative units to form grassroots administrative units (including communes, wards and special zones on islands) to suit the new organizational model. Currently, commune-level administrative units include communes, wards and towns.

Specifically, the draft Law amends and supplements regulations on the organization of administrative units and the two-level local government model (including: provincial and grassroots levels, not district level) suitable for urban, rural, island areas, and special administrative- economic units.

Accordingly, the provincial-level administrative units remain as currently regulated, including provinces and centrally-run cities, but some provincial-level administrative units are merged to ensure they meet the prescribed standards and at the same time expand development space.

Commune-level administrative units will be reorganized to form grassroots administrative units including communes, wards and special zones on islands to suit the new organizational model.

Special administrative-economic units remain the same as current regulations and are established by decision of the National Assembly.

The draft Law stipulates that local governments at provincial and grassroots levels both organize People's Councils and People's Committees. People's Councils operate under a collective regime, making decisions by majority vote; People's Committees operate under a collective regime of People's Committees combined with promoting the responsibility of the Chairman of the People's Committee.

On the basis of the 2-level local government model (including: provincial level and grassroots level), clearly define the tasks and powers of each level of local government in the direction that the provincial level focuses on promulgating mechanisms, policies, strategies, planning, macro-management, inter-regional and inter-base issues that exceed the capacity of the grassroots to resolve, require deep expertise and ensure consistency across the province.

The grassroots level is the level of policy implementation (from the central and provincial levels), focusing on tasks serving the people, directly solving community problems, providing basic and essential public services to local people; tasks that require community participation, promoting the initiative and creativity of the grassroots level./.

According to Vietnam+

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/mo-hinh-chinh-quyen-dia-phuong-2-cap-se-to-chuc-lai-don-vi-hanh-chinh-cap-xa-243738.htm