Streamlining the organizational structure is a regular and systematic task to meet the development needs of the country in each specific historical period. Based on the thorough understanding and implementation of the Party's Resolutions and the Politburo and Secretariat's Conclusions on continuing to reorganize and streamline the political system's structure, Dai Doan Ket Newspaper has visited the grassroots level, met with those involved, and exchanged views with experts on this important issue.
From policy to practice, the arrangement and consolidation of political and social organizations and mass associations assigned by the Party and State to be under the direct control of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front has been a matter of consensus and unity. The common home of the Fatherland Front is becoming increasingly warm and open. The great national unity bloc is becoming more close-knit and enduring, thereby contributing to consolidating a solid foundation for the Vietnam Fatherland Front to enter a new era.
An individual participates in multiple organizations.
Over the years, the coordinated action between the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations has resulted in diverse and effective action programs, campaigns, and emulation movements, contributing to maintaining and strengthening national unity. However, surveys conducted at the grassroots level have revealed that it is quite common for individuals to simultaneously participate in multiple political and social organizations, inadvertently creating overlap and duplication in the implementation of some political tasks.
Ms. Tran Thi Huyen, residing in Hamlet 4 (Bai Duong Village, Nam Duong Commune, Nam Truc District, Nam Dinh Province), stated that in her family, all three generations participate in local mass organizations, depending on gender, age, and occupation. For example, she herself is a member of both the Women's Association and the Farmers' Association, and her husband is also a member of the Farmers' Association. Most others in the hamlet and village are similar. Some are members of the Veterans' Association, the Farmers' Association, and the Senior Citizens' Association, while young people participate in both local organizations and the trade union at their workplace.
According to Ms. Huyen, having and participating in the activities of associations and organizations is very good, providing people with a place and forum to meet, exchange ideas, access information, and learn about the policies and guidelines of the Party and the State, and express their opinions. In addition, it's a place where people can share and help each other in their work and lives. The drawback, however, is that Ms. Huyen observes that the activities of these organizations often have similar and overlapping content; for example, Women's Association meetings discuss production development and environmental sanitation, and Farmers' Association meetings discuss similar issues.
“I am a member of the Women's Union and also a member of the Farmers' Association. I understand very well my duty and responsibility to actively work, take care of the economic development of my family, and raise our children and grandchildren with my husband. In addition, I have the duty and responsibility to contribute my efforts to building and developing my neighborhood and village so that it becomes increasingly prosperous, peaceful, civilized, clean, and beautiful,” Ms. Huyen further explained.
Mr. Nguyen Trong Ban, residing in Hop Tien neighborhood (Tran Phu ward, Ha Tinh city, Ha Tinh province), also stated that he is a member of both the Veterans Association and the Senior Citizens Association. During his time as a member of these two organizations under the Fatherland Front, he observed that the Party's guidelines and policies, as well as the State's laws and regulations, were effectively implemented and disseminated, focusing on specific areas and tailored to the unique characteristics of each organization. However, some content overlaps, such as certain emulation movements with different names but similar essence, like environmental sanitation.
Ms. Le Thi Nhiem, from Cu Than village (Do Dong commune, Thanh Oai district, Hanoi), said she is a member of the Farmers' Association, the Women's Union, and the Veterans' Association – all member organizations of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. “There are tasks where we are all given the same instructions, which leads to a situation where one person has to attend many meetings. I contribute to the gratitude fund of the Women's Union, but I am also a member of the Farmers' Association and the Veterans' Association, and my contributions are included in the reports. This leads to a situation where the work is merely 형식적인 (formalistic) and does not yield long-term results,” Ms. Nhiem shared.
Therefore, upon learning of the Party and State's policy to reorganize and streamline the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other political-social organizations and mass associations, Ms. Huyen, Mr. Ban, and Ms. Nhiem all expressed their agreement and support. According to Ms. Nhiem, the reorganization will make the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front the central coordinating body for the activities of these organizations. This will not only reduce the number of coordinating bodies and the formality in the activities of each organization but also contribute to significant budget savings. "This is a major policy of the Party, and I have complete faith in this political determination. When aiming for a prosperous people and a strong nation, the merger will certainly bring benefits to the people, especially members like me," Ms. Nhiem affirmed.
Reorganization benefits the people.
During our survey across nearly 30 provinces and cities, we found that membership in socio-political organizations is a voluntary act for individuals. Many people simultaneously participate in two or more organizations, and some even hold memberships in four. An individual's participation in multiple socio-political organizations allows for faster and more diverse access to the Party and State's policies and guidelines. Participation in multiple organizations not only expands social networks but also enables individuals to contribute ideas and participate in resolving community issues. Furthermore, these organizations protect the legitimate rights of members when they encounter difficulties.
However, alongside the advantages, participation in multiple political and social organizations also has drawbacks, requiring individuals to dedicate time and effort to various other activities. This can lead to reduced efficiency in personal work and even negatively impact the overall performance of each organization. This is not something that organizations are unaware of, but rather that some lack the necessary conditions and mechanisms to address it.
In 2019, Mr. Tran Nhat Tan - Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ha Tinh province, then serving as Secretary of the Thach Ha District Party Committee - together with the Standing Committee of the Thach Ha District Party Committee, implemented Resolution 18 dated October 25, 2017, of the Central Party Committee and other provincial directives, assigning the Thach Ha District Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee to develop a plan to establish a People's Bloc Agency in Thach Ha district comprising: the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, the Labor Union, the Veterans Association, the Farmers Association, the Women's Association, and the Youth Union.
Mr. Tran Danh Vinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Thach Ha district, said that the Project to Establish a People's Bloc Agency in Thach Ha district faced obstacles regarding its operational mechanism and could not be put into operation. Therefore, in 2023, the Fatherland Front of the district proposed terminating the Project.
Based on the experience of Thach Ha district, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the district, Tran Danh Vinh, stated that the arrangement and consolidation of political and social organizations and mass associations assigned by the Party and State to be directly under the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front will create uniformity. This is because the Fatherland Front is a gathering place for all social strata, a "common home" for member organizations. According to Mr. Tran Danh Vinh, the current coordination between the Fatherland Front and political and social organizations leads to overlapping activities because everyone participates and reports on the same task, making it difficult to identify the responsible parties and assign specific responsibilities. For example, propaganda and mobilization are the responsibility of the entire political system, with the Fatherland Front and political and social organizations playing a core role, but they rely on each other, making it difficult to identify the main actors and assign specific responsibilities.
Speaking with a reporter from Dai Doan Ket Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Tien Dinh, former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Interior, stated that implementing this policy will create unity and strength among the entire team in carrying out the coordinated action program of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. This will also strengthen the linkages and mutual support between organizations, and the people will benefit greatly. Streamlining the apparatus will reduce administrative costs, thereby freeing up the budget for social welfare work such as reducing tuition fees, investing in science and technology development, and social security.
This also reduces overlap and creates a unified approach in the operational structure of each organization. "For example, when the Fatherland Front launched a campaign to support people affected by natural disasters like storms and floods, each organization responded and participated. A civil servant, in addition to contributing in their residential area, also contributed at their agency, and each organization also mobilized and appealed for donations, causing people to wonder why they had to contribute the same amount several times," Mr. Dinh shared.
Therefore, according to Mr. Nguyen Tien Dinh, reorganizing political and social organizations and mass associations assigned by the Party and State to be directly under the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, with the Front acting as a coordinator and organizer, will reduce the burden on the people.
A historic decision for a new era.
In recent times, the implementation of Resolution No. 18 of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam on "Some issues concerning the continued reform and restructuring of the political system's organizational apparatus to be streamlined, effective, and efficient" and the conclusions of the Politburo on the continued restructuring and streamlining of the political system's organizational apparatus, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and its member organizations has achieved good results. However, the organizational apparatus remains cumbersome with many layers of bureaucracy; the functions, tasks, powers, and working relationships between many agencies, units, and organizations still overlap and duplicate each other... urgently needing to be restructured and streamlined to achieve greater efficiency.
From Conclusion 126-KL/TW dated February 14, 2025 to Conclusion 127-KL/TW dated February 28, 2025 of the Politburo, the Secretariat assigned the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and central mass organizations to preside over and coordinate with the Central Organization Committee, the Party Committee of the Government, the Party Committee of the National Assembly and relevant agencies to research orientations and develop proposals and submissions to the Politburo on the reorganization of political and social organizations and mass associations assigned by the Party and State to be directly under the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (in line with the current party organizational structure).
Dr. Tran Anh Tuan, former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Interior and President of the Vietnam Association of Administrative Sciences, believes that the arrangement of placing political and social organizations and mass associations assigned tasks by the Party and State under the direct control of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front is not only politically sound and legally grounded, but also meets the trends of the times, conforms to the law, and is an objective necessity in the current revolution to streamline the organizational structure.
This is a historic decision for the nation's resurgence, and it is also a golden opportunity to implement this political resolve. According to Mr. Do Van Chien, Member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Central Mass Organizations, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam Fatherland Front is a political alliance, a voluntary union of political organizations, socio-political organizations, social organizations, and outstanding individuals from various social classes, strata, ethnic groups, religions, and Vietnamese people residing abroad. This serves as the basis for streamlining and reorganizing the Fatherland Front's agencies, socio-political organizations, and mass organizations assigned tasks by the Party and State, ensuring synchronization from the central level to the provincial and commune levels.
The Central Steering Committee for summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW has issued Document No. 43-CV/BCĐ on the Plan for continuing the reorganization of the political system's apparatus. The document clearly states that the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and central mass organizations are required to take the lead and coordinate with the Central Organization Committee and relevant agencies to incorporate feedback from localities, agencies, and units, finalize the Submission and Proposal for the reorganization and streamlining of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, political and social organizations, and mass associations assigned by the Party and State, and report to the Politburo before March 25, 2025; and incorporate the Politburo's feedback, finalize the Submission and Proposal, and submit the report to the Central Committee before April 1, 2025. According to the plan of the Central Steering Committee, the restructuring of political and social organizations and mass associations assigned by the Party and State to be under the direct control of the Vietnam Fatherland Front must be completed before July 15, 2025.
Chairman Do Van Chien affirmed that, with a spirit of solidarity, consensus, high political determination, and decisive implementation of Resolution 18, in the coming time, the Party Committee, the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and central mass organizations will further enhance their responsibilities, share and unite to lead the Party committees in fulfilling political tasks, including ensuring the implementation of the Project on restructuring and streamlining the Vietnam Fatherland Front, political and social organizations, and mass associations assigned by the Party and State (at the central, provincial, and commune levels) according to the schedule and requirements set by the Politburo.
Let's abandon the "group within a group" mindset and avoid creating more "intermediary organizations."
Dr. Tran Anh Tuan, former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Interior and President of the Vietnam Association of Administrative Sciences, argues that in the current context of streamlining the organizational structure, it is necessary to abandon the mindset of "associations within associations." Once these organizations are placed under the direct control of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, it is crucial to avoid creating additional "intermediate organizations" that would be wasteful and add unnecessary procedures and processes when implementing mass mobilization activities, providing advice, conducting critiques, monitoring, and carrying out scientific research. In reality, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front already has advisory bodies assisting its leadership in directing these associations. Therefore, there should be no or no establishment of additional alliances or federations of these associations when they are placed under the direct control of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. The Vietnam Fatherland Front is already the "common home" for these organizations; there shouldn't be any additional "smaller homes."
Clearly defined tasks and responsibilities.
According to Ms. Bui Thi Thanh, former Vice Chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the reorganization of political and social organizations and mass associations assigned by the Party and State to be under the direct control of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front is one of the most important contents. This is a major policy of the Party and is being decisively directed by the Politburo, the Secretariat, and General Secretary To Lam with very high determination. At the same time, the reorganization is consistent with the Party's organizational structure according to the new model and also ensures compliance with the Constitution's provisions on the Fatherland Front. Thus, the reorganization will overcome the overlapping of functions and tasks. Many associations have similar work, and it is inevitable that they will work on the same tasks, while some tasks are not of interest to any single organization. In many cases, the results lack accuracy because multiple associations report on the same issue. Therefore, reorganization will enhance the Front's strength in gathering, presiding over, consulting with, and connecting its members. Reorganization will clarify tasks and responsibilities, thereby improving operational efficiency.
Rationalization, ensuring continuity and the ability to fulfill tasks.
Ms. Nguyen Lan Huong, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi City, stated that the reorganization of political and social organizations and mass organizations assigned by the Party and State to be directly under the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front is a new step, an unprecedented activity, requiring great effort and dedication from Fatherland Front officials and people's organizations. To successfully carry out this task, the Fatherland Front and people's organizations must frankly and objectively study and assess the role, tasks, and effectiveness of their respective organizations, their strengths and weaknesses, and the coordination of activities among agencies in the past. In addition, they must evaluate the demands of the new era, listen to the opinions of those involved, and the opinions of the people to make rational arrangements, ensuring continuity and the ability to meet tasks in the new situation. I believe that, with their tradition of solidarity, dedication, and responsibility, the officials of the Fatherland Front system and mass organizations will successfully fulfill the tasks assigned by the Central Committee.
Nguyen Phuong - Tien Dat (recorded)
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/quyet-dinh-lich-su-cho-ky-nguyen-vuon-minh-cua-dan-toc-10302106.html
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