Law on Organization of Local Government (amended): Expanding the duties and powers of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee

Law No. 72/2025/QH15 (Amended Law on Organization of Local Government) was passed by the 15th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 9th Session on June 16, 2025 (effective from the date of passage). Article 17 of the Law on Organization of Local Government stipulates that the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has 23 duties and powers. Meanwhile, previous laws stipulate that the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has 15 duties and powers.

At the 46th session of the 15th National Assembly on the afternoon of June 3, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra, authorized by the Prime Minister, presented a report on receiving, revising and perfecting the draft Law on Organization of Local Government (amended).

In order to strengthen the role and responsibility of the head according to the suggestions of the delegates, the draft law has completed the content of the distinction between the general tasks and powers of the People's Committee and the specific tasks and powers of the Chairman of the People's Committee in the direction of increasing the authority of the new provincial People's Committee Chairman.

The National Assembly voted to pass the Law on Organization of Local Government (amended)

On the morning of June 16, with 100% of delegates present voting in favor, the National Assembly officially passed the Law on Organization of Local Government (amended).

According to the draft law (approved by the National Assembly), the provincial People's Committee has 12 tasks and powers; the chairman of the provincial People's Committee has 23 tasks and powers. To enhance the role and personal responsibility of the chairman of the People's Committee, the Law also adds a provision that the chairman of the People's Committee is authorized to decide on behalf of the People's Committee on matters under the authority of the People's Committee and report to the People's Committee at the nearest meeting, except for matters that the Law stipulates the People's Committee must discuss collectively and decide.

Specifically, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has the following duties and powers:

1. Lead and manage the work of the People's Committee; convene and chair meetings of the People's Committee.

2. Lead and direct the implementation of tasks of enforcing the Constitution, laws, documents of superior state agencies and of the People's Council and People's Committee at the same level.

3. Lead and be responsible for the operations of the local state administrative apparatus, ensuring the unity and continuity of the administration; for implementing administrative reform, public service reform, and civil servant reform in the system of local state administrative agencies; be responsible for effectively implementing the application of information technology and digital transformation in the operations of local authorities at the same level and at the commune level in handling administrative procedures and providing local public services in accordance with the provisions of law.

4. Lead, direct, urge, and inspect the work of specialized agencies and other administrative organizations under the People's Committee at the same level, the People's Committee, and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level.

5. Direct and be responsible for organizing the implementation of local budget estimates; effectively manage and use financial resources, budget sources, public assets, and local infrastructure within the scope of management according to the provisions of law.

6. Direct and organize the implementation of tasks of socio -economic development, development of sectors and fields, urban development, private economic development, science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation in the locality; organize the implementation of state management in the locality in the fields of finance, investment, land, agriculture, resources, environment, trade, services, industry, construction, transportation, education, health, law making, judicial administration, judicial support, legal affairs, internal affairs, labor, information, culture, society, tourism, physical education and sports of the locality according to the provisions of law.

7. Direct and organize the implementation of foreign affairs tasks according to the provisions of law.

8. Direct and organize the implementation of tasks related to national defense, security, order and social safety in the locality according to the provisions of law; build a national defense foundation and people's security posture; build militia and self-defense forces, reserve mobilization forces, forces participating in protecting security and order at the grassroots level and regimes and policies for these forces in the locality according to the provisions of law.

9. Direct and be responsible for performing tasks related to protecting the assets of agencies and organizations, protecting the life, health, freedom, honor, dignity, property, other legitimate rights and interests of citizens, ensuring human rights; preventing crimes and other violations of the law in the locality according to the provisions of law.

10. Direct the implementation of policies on ethnicity and religion in the locality; preserve and promote the cultural identity of ethnic minorities and religious followers in the locality according to the provisions of law.

11. Direct and organize the implementation of national planning, regional planning, provincial planning, sectoral and field planning, and provincial socio-economic development plans approved by competent authorities in the locality; manage local industrial parks and economic zones in accordance with the provisions of law.

12. Direct and be responsible for ensuring social security, implementing preferential policies for people with revolutionary contributions and social protection beneficiaries; managing higher education institutions, vocational education institutions, high school education institutions, medical facilities, and social welfare facilities under local management according to the provisions of law.

13. Direct and be responsible for the recruitment, use, management of civil servants and public employees, use and development of human resources, labor, employment, and social insurance in the area according to the provisions of law; decide on appointment, dismissal, transfer, removal, commendation, and discipline of heads and deputy heads of specialized agencies, other administrative organizations, and public service units under the People's Committee at the same level.

14. Direct and promptly handle emergency situations related to natural disasters, epidemics, and catastrophes in the locality; decide to apply other urgent measures prescribed by law or beyond authority in cases where it is absolutely necessary for the national interest, to prevent and combat natural disasters and epidemics, to ensure the lives and property of people in the locality, then report to the competent Party agency and the Prime Minister as soon as possible.

15. Directing the implementation of inspection, examination, guidance and handling of violations in the implementation of the Constitution, laws and documents of superior state agencies at the local level.

16. Direct and organize the reception of citizens, settlement of complaints and denunciations, prevention and combat of corruption, waste and negativity in the operations of the state administrative apparatus and in local socio-economic activities according to the provisions of law.

17. Approve the results of the election, dismissal, removal and decide on the transfer and dismissal of the chairman and vice chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level; delegate the authority of the chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level; decide on the temporary suspension of the vice chairman of the People's Committee at the same level and the chairman of the People's Committee at the same level; decide on the appointment, transfer, temporary suspension, and dismissal of the heads of specialized agencies and other administrative organizations under the People's Committee at the same level, and the heads of public service units under the People's Committee at the same level.

18. Issue decisions, directives and other administrative documents on matters within its duties and powers; abolish, amend, supplement and replace documents it issues when deemed no longer appropriate or illegal.

19. Suspend the implementation, abolish part or all of illegal documents of specialized agencies under the People's Committee at one level and illegal documents of the People's Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level.

20. Suspend the implementation of illegal documents of the People's Council at the commune level and report to the People's Committee at the same level to propose the People's Council at the same level to abolish them.

21. To represent the People's Committee at its level to decide on matters under the authority of the People's Committee, except for the contents specified in Clause 2, Article 40 of this Law and report to the People's Committee at the nearest meeting.

22. Based on practical situations, strengthen decentralization and delegate tasks and powers to the People's Committee and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and efficiency in state management, promote local socio-economic development, and manage and develop urban areas and special zones.

23. Perform assigned and delegated duties and powers and other duties and powers as prescribed by law.

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Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/luat-to-chuc-chinh-quyen-dia-phuong-sua-doi-mo-rong-nhiem-vu-va-quyen-han-cua-chu-cich-ubnd-tinh-post801123.html