One of the most complex challenges during the restructuring and merging of administrative units is the arrangement and selection of cadres and civil servants - especially in leadership and management positions. Deciding “who stays, who goes” is a problem without simple answers.

That is the insight shared by Dr. Le Van Hanh from the Central Internal Affairs Commission, in an article submitted to the VietnamNet Forum: “Merging provinces, eliminating district-level administration, restructuring communes - hearing the people’s voice.”

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The administrative merger offers a rare opportunity to filter and retain only the most competent officials to help lead Vietnam into a new era. Photo: Thach Thao

The comprehensive restructuring of Vietnam’s administrative apparatus across all levels is nearly complete. With determined implementation and widespread societal support, full execution of this major reform is only a matter of time.

Yet, for the new structure to operate effectively, efficiently, and in line with its stated goals, selecting the right personnel remains pivotal. It requires placing capable, ethical individuals in the right roles.

To meet the demands of the new era, Vietnam must draw on the hard-earned lessons of its fight against corruption, waste, and misconduct. It must apply the directive of General Secretary To Lam: “Be resolute in preventing morally degraded, corrupt, wasteful, or unethical individuals from entering the new leadership. Do not let newly appointed or planned cadres later become subjects of disciplinary action.”

Over the past decade, especially since the 13th Party Congress, Vietnam has decisively addressed the issue raised in the 11th Central Committee’s Resolution: “a not-insignificant segment of officials and Party members showing signs of political, ethical, and lifestyle degradation.” These efforts have brought tangible results.

Since the start of the 13th Party Congress, over 90,500 Party members have been disciplined, including more than 160 senior officials under Central Government management - more than double the number in the previous term. Over 60 high-ranking officials have faced criminal prosecution - triple that of the previous term.

These numbers speak volumes. They challenge Vietnam to better manage, deploy, and train its cadre system to prevent a repeat of past mistakes. The public would no longer accept, nor excuse, a failure to act.

These disciplinary measures have helped restore Party discipline, strengthen clean governance, and accelerate socio-economic development.

Unresolved concerns still linger

Despite progress, there are still three urgent issues in cadre selection and management that need honest reckoning.

First, some officials failed to resist the pull of greed - succumbing to material temptations and abandoning ethical integrity.

Second, despite strict punishments, some officials continue to violate laws and norms, suggesting that deterrence remains inadequate. Many of the prosecuted cases stem from prior terms, and violations continue even amid ongoing investigations. The Viet A scandal is a prime example.

Third, fear of wrongdoing is creating a new kind of paralysis. Some officials now adopt the mindset of “the more you do, the more likely you err,” or “better to face a disciplinary panel than a criminal court.” This results in passivity, indecision, and fear of responsibility - causing stagnation and harming public services and economic growth.

A difficult, but vital, restructuring challenge

To achieve the Party’s “two 100-year goals,” beginning with GDP growth of over 8% in 2025 and sustained high growth thereafter, Vietnam will need to overcome countless post-merger challenges.

One key challenge is how to organize and reassign leadership and administrative personnel at the newly formed provincial and grassroots levels.

When 63 provinces are merged into 34, that means 29 provincial-level Party secretaries and chairpersons - as well as hundreds of department heads and deputy directors - must be reassigned. Eliminating the district level affects 696 district secretaries and chairpersons, plus thousands of deputies. Merging over 10,000 communes down to 5,000 means more than 5,000 commune leaders will also need reassignment.

Hundreds of thousands of civil servants at the provincial, district, and commune levels will require attention in terms of jobs, benefits, and career direction.

This is not an easy task. Yet it is a historic opportunity for the Party and State to filter the system, retain the most capable officials, and usher in a new era.

Ultimately, success or failure hinges on people - on cadre selection. Past experiences in combating corruption and abuse offer valuable lessons. Going forward, we must eliminate officials who lack self-discipline, who fall to temptation, and instead select those driven by a desire for innovation and national development.

This is also the time to remove officials who either act unethically or refuse to act at all - those who shirk responsibility, avoid decisions, or fear accountability. We must empower officials who are willing to think, act, innovate, and serve the common good, without personal gain.

In that sense, this campaign to streamline the administrative structure is also a revolution in cadre management. Only through this transformation can Vietnam truly succeed in stepping into a new era.

Dr. Le Van Hanh (Central Internal Affairs Commission)