Vietnam’s political life saw a remarkable event. The extraordinary meeting convened on December 30 decided that Mr. Minh would no longer be a Politburo member and a member of the 13th Party Central Committee, and Mr. Dam would no longer be a member of 13th Party Central Committee. The committee also gave its opinions about two persons that the Politburo would recommend to the 15th National Assembly to be approved as deputy prime ministers for the 2021-2026 tenure.

On January 4, 2023, the National Assembly held a preparatory session and on January 5 opened the extraordinary session. Allowing the two Deputy Prime Ministers to quit their duties was one of the issues put into discussion and determined.

The succession of events was special, noting that the history of the Communist Party of Vietnam has recorded only one similar case occurring with the ranks of Deputy Prime Minister and above, and a Politburo member. Sixty-six years ago, in 1956, Party Secretary General Truong Chinh resigned from his post because of mistakes in agrarian reform. 

More recently, as a member of the Party Central Committee, the then Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huy Ngo resigned because of political responsibility in the case of La Thi Kim Oanh in 2004.

Resigning was understood that the senior cadres, realizing their responsibilities before the Party, the People, with political self-awareness, took the highest political responsibility.

Taking political responsibility

At the extraordinary meeting held on December 30, on behalf of the Politburo, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission Truong Thi Mai reported about consulting the Party Central Committee on allowing Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, and Party Central Committee’s member and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam resign from their posts.

Mr. Minh and Mr. Dam presented their opinions briefly and both of them mentioned their duties and responsibilities.

Fighting Covid-19 is the work of the entire Party and people. People believe in the Party and the State. However, the Viet A test kit and the rescue flight cases occurring during the period caused adverse effects in society. Two ministers and former ministers were found involved in the cases and prosecuted, while the assistants of the two Deputy Prime Ministers have been arrested.

The two Deputy Prime Ministers are high-ranking leaders and aware of the political responsibility before the Party and people, so they have taken responsibility at the highest level. 

The Central Party Committee reached a high consensus, letting the two Deputy Prime Ministers leave their posts in the Party and follow the procedures related to state titles.

Practicing setting an example

Presiding over the extraordinary meeting, Party Chief Nguyen Phu Trong expressed the Politburo’s appreciation of the two high-ranking cadres of the Party. They both have been trained and made many contributions to the Party and the country.

However, after realizing that though they tried their best, they still could not satisfy the requirements and implement the tasks assigned to them, so they decided to resign and leave with honor. This is an action that properly fulfills cadres and Party members’ responsibility of setting an example to other people.

Other Party Central Committee members commented that the moves by Mr. Minh and Mr. Dam of taking political responsibility and setting an example will create a precedent for other Party members. If they cannot fulfill their duties, they will also resign to give up seats to other people.

A quantitative change leads to a qualitative change

The work of Party building and rectification, activated and patiently implemented in recent tenures, especially after the 12th Party Congress, has brought achievements and reached "quantitative and qualitative changes".

This is the first time after doi moi (renovation) that Party Central Committee members and Politburo members have practiced setting an example at the highest level, taking initiative in resigning from their posts after realizing that they no longer have sufficient conditions, capability and prestige to implement tasks.

One can feel qualitative changes comparing the cases with previous ones. Most recently, three members of the Party Central Committee – Nguyen Thanh Phong, Bui Nhat Quang and Huynh Tan Viet - only expressed their willingness to leave the Party Central Committee after receiving warnings from the Politburo.

Regarding the three cases, one may refer to the Politburo’s Conclusion No 20 on the arrangement of work for cadres after they are disciplined: cadres, reprimanded and disciplined, who have limited capability and declining reputation, are encouraged to resign. If they are not willing to resign, competent authorities will consider dismissing them according to regulations.

Nghia Nhan