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July 1, 2025, has gone down in Vietnamese history as a significant milestone, marking the birth of a new, streamlined, and efficient administrative structure. This event, likened to a "revolution," officially concluded the preparatory and implementation phase of resolutions and decisions from the central and local governments regarding the merger, streamlining of organizational structures, and the establishment of a two-tiered local government system.
This is not just an administrative change, but also a strategic step, reshaping the sustainable development space for the country, towards an administration that better serves the people and businesses.
July 1, 2025: A national celebration and a historical turning point.
The merger, streamlining, and implementation of a two-tiered local government system is one of the most outstanding achievements of the reform process since 1986. In a solemn ceremony held simultaneously in 34 provinces and cities nationwide, resolutions and decisions related to the merger of provincial and commune-level administrative units, the closure of district-level administrative units, as well as the establishment of Party organizations, the appointment of Party committees, People's Councils, People's Committees, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees at all levels were officially announced and implemented.
These changes go beyond simply reorganizing the political system; they carry a deeper meaning: a "reorganization of the nation," aimed at optimizing development space and building a streamlined, efficient, effective, and effective administration. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of service to citizens and businesses, creating a more favorable environment for socio-economic development.
July 1, 2025 will go down in the history of Vietnam's state apparatus reform as a groundbreaking and constructive milestone, as well as in the history of national construction and development in general.
According to the Resolution on the reorganization of provincial-level administrative units in 2025, a total of 23 new provinces and cities have been formed after the reorganization of 52 old administrative units. Along with 11 provinces and cities that remain unchanged, from July 1, 2025, the whole country will have 34 provincial-level administrative units, including 6 centrally-administered cities and 28 provinces.
Specifically, 19 provinces and 4 centrally-administered cities were formed after the reorganization process. The provinces and cities not included in the reorganization are: Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Ha Tinh, Lai Chau, Lang Son, Nghe An, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Son La, along with Hanoi and Hue.
The resolution also emphasizes that competent authorities need to urgently carry out all necessary preparations to ensure that the local governments in the newly reorganized provinces and cities officially begin operations from July 1, 2025. At the same time, the local governments in the provinces and cities prior to the reorganization will continue to operate until the new local governments are established and become operational.
This is not simply a rearrangement of administrative boundaries or a streamlining of the apparatus in the narrow sense; it affirms the political acumen, strategic vision, and modern reformist thinking of the Party.
With the following two-tiered local government structure, commune-level units will have a public administrative center where citizens can address all their administrative needs. The majority of public administrative services have been moved online, digitized, and implemented on digital platforms.
The amendment of the Constitution and the Law on the Organization of Local Government to realize this new model is not only a strong political action, but also reflects the consistent reform vision of the Party and the State, and of General Secretary To Lam, with a clear orientation: putting the people at the center, prioritizing efficiency, and placing the interests of national development above all local interests.
This also represents a strategic turning point in institutional thinking: a shift from a multi-tiered, hierarchical administrative model to a more streamlined, flexible, effective, and people-oriented model.
A new era is dawning: the era of modern principles of state governance, of a streamlined apparatus for growth and development, and of an active, accountable administration that serves the people in a practical way.
Institutional reform, ultimately, is not about changing the structure for its own sake, but about serving the people better, more effectively, and more closely. The reforms beginning on July 1, 2025, are not just about reorganizing the state apparatus, but also about reshaping the relationship between the government and the people – towards partnership, service, and shared responsibility.
With a workforce of civil servants constantly improving their capabilities and adapting to the new mechanisms, along with stronger decentralization and delegation of power, ensuring that local governments have sufficient authority and proactively serve the people effectively.
