The revolution in streamlining the organizational apparatus is unfolding at an unprecedented pace, demonstrating the highest level of determination and unity across the entire political system. Across the country—from provinces and cities to districts and communes—discussions are taking place in forums and the media, raising various issues surrounding the restructuring and reorganization of agencies and units nationwide. Among these, decentralization has garnered significant attention, approached from multiple perspectives, highlighting its crucial role in the ongoing process of building and refining Vietnam’s socialist rule-of-law state.

Decentralization can be understood as the transfer of responsibilities and financial resources from higher levels of government to lower levels. This is seen as a means of bringing governance closer to the people, giving them greater opportunities to participate in decision-making processes. As a result, decentralization helps ensure that public sector activities and decisions are more aligned with the common interests of the people.

According to Dr. Tran Anh Tuan, President of the Vietnam Association for Administrative Sciences and former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, in Vietnam’s current revolution to streamline the organizational apparatus, "the delegation and decentralization of power between the central government and local authorities is both an urgent and pivotal issue. It serves as a strategic breakthrough, removing bottlenecks to enable each locality—and the entire nation—to enter an era of prosperity and development." (Statement made at the scientific conference on delegation and decentralization in the revolution to streamline the organizational apparatus, organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs on December 5, 2024).

Reality has shown that there is no single universal formula for the decentralization process across different countries and localities. Decentralization must be designed in a way that ensures national governance remains unified under the central government while also adapting to the unique characteristics of each region, sector, and field. Therefore, beyond the perspective of administrative science, the decentralization process must also be examined and considered through the lens of practical realities.

When discussing decentralization—a concept closely tied to state management—the first aspect to consider is the legal framework and specific legal regulations. While each locality may implement decentralization in slightly different ways, all systems must be fundamentally rooted in the core principles and defining characteristics of Vietnam’s socialist rule-of-law state. Ultimately, they must align with the common goal of nation-building, development, and public service. This is an essential prerequisite that must be consistently and strictly upheld.

The second key issue in discussions on decentralization revolves around one crucial concept: competence. Effective decentralization requires that officials, civil servants, and public employees—both at the central and local levels—possess the necessary capabilities. This includes the ability to delegate tasks and responsibilities in a rational and strategic manner, the capacity to facilitate and oversee subordinate personnel, as well as the skills to receive delegated tasks, respond to challenges, and solve problems proactively and creatively at the decentralized local level.

The success of the decentralization process is inseparable from the training, recruitment, and capacity-building of officials and civil servants, as well as the thorough preparation of human resources before, during, and after decentralization. Additionally, working conditions at the local government level must be enhanced through investment and improvements, enabling personnel to effectively apply and utilize scientific, technological, and information advancements—including artificial intelligence (AI).

Through decentralization, each locality can enhance its proactivity, autonomy, and accountability. Therefore, a key concern in decentralized management is the issue of self-governance. Local authorities should be granted greater autonomy in allocating human resources and managing their budgets within the permitted scope to make decisions on matters that have been delegated to them. This autonomy not only empowers local governments but also serves as a motivation for them to strive for progress, assert their position, and demonstrate their governance capacity in meeting the expectations of higher authorities.

Finally, without clear regulations on the responsibilities of all parties involved, decentralization can face significant challenges in implementation and oversight. Put simply, effective decentralization must ensure the "three clarities": clear tasks, clear accountability, and clear responsibilities. This provides a foundation for proper inspection, monitoring, and accurate assessment of how each agency, unit, or locality fulfills its duties. In decentralization, "responsibility" serves as a critical lens through which the overall plan and implementation process are evaluated, making it one of the key criteria for determining the success or failure of the decentralization effort.

Thus, for decentralization to become a driving force for development and achieve the goal of a "streamlined, strong, efficient, and effective" political system, it must go hand in hand with restructuring administrative units at all levels and establishing a two-tier local government system. This requires a clear delineation of responsibilities and authority between different levels of local government (between the provincial and commune levels) and a well-coordinated working relationship along vertical management lines from the central government to the commune level (between central ministries, specialized provincial departments, and sector-specific agencies and personnel). Ensuring seamless, synchronized, and interconnected operations is essential for effective governance.

In the context of streamlining the organizational apparatus, reducing intermediate levels, and expanding the scale of grassroots administration, perfecting the system for state power oversight is crucial. This ensures a balanced mechanism between delegation and control, upheld by the principles of constitutional and legal supremacy. Regardless of whether decentralization takes place, state power must always function within the framework entrusted by the people.

Reporting by DO LAN HUONG – Translating by HONG VAN