The Politburo and the Secretariat of the Central Committee appoint the provincial Party secretary after the merger.

On April 23, the Central Organizing Committee issued guidelines on the establishment of corresponding Party organizations in local administrative units after mergers. Accordingly, the province or city identified as the new political and administrative center will take the lead in developing a plan for establishing the new provincial or city Party committee.

The plan must comply with the Party Charter, the viewpoints and guiding principles of the Central Committee, and clearly define the functions, tasks, organizational structure, advisory and support agencies, Party organizations, and affiliated public service units. Localities need to complete and submit the plan to the Central Organization Department before June 15th.

The Central Organizing Committee will appraise and advise the Politburo and the Secretariat on the establishment of provincial and city Party committees; the appointment of executive committees, standing committees, secretaries, deputy secretaries of provincial and city Party committees, inspection committees, chairmen and vice-chairmen of provincial and city inspection committees for the 2020-2025 term; this will be completed before September 15th.

Based on the approved plan and the decision of the competent authority, before September 15th, the provincial standing committee will assign leaders, managers, officials, and employees of specialized advisory and support agencies and public service units based on the existing staffing levels.

For provinces and cities that do not undergo mergers, local authorities will continue to carry out their work according to the tasks already assigned by the central government.

According to the guidelines, after the National Assembly's Resolution on amending the 2013 Constitution and merging provinces and communes comes into effect, the provincial Party committee will decide to terminate the activities of the old district and commune-level Party committees and establish new commune-level Party committees.

The current Standing Committee of the provincial/city Party Committee has the authority to decide on the establishment of commune-level Party committees, and to appoint the executive committee, standing committee, secretary, deputy secretary, inspection committee, chairman and deputy chairman of the inspection committee of the commune-level Party committee for the 2025-2030 term.

Based on this, the provincial and commune-level standing committees will establish advisory and support agencies and public service units for the commune-level Party committees. The commune/ward Party committees will have three specialized agencies: the office, the Party building committee, and the inspection committee. In communes/wards where the current district-level political center is located, the commune/ward Party committee will establish an additional political center as a public service unit of the Party committee.

The Party Committee of the Special Administrative Region, acting as the direct superior party committee of the grassroots party organizations, will establish four advisory and support agencies, including the office, the Organization Department, the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, and the Inspection Committee, along with the political center, which is a public service unit of the party committee.

The provincial and city Party committees will arrange for the deployment of cadres, civil servants, and public employees by bringing in personnel from the current district and commune levels, and strengthening the ranks of some provincial-level leaders from departments and agencies to the new communes. This work must be completed before July 1st.

The staffing levels for leaders, civil servants, and public employees in specialized agencies, advisory and support units, and public service units of the commune-level Party committees after mergers will be approximately 15-17 people; in areas with political centers, the number of staff should not exceed 20. Initially, localities may allocate more staff, but within 5 years, they must comply with regulations.

For communes and wards that are not merged, the staffing allocation for advisory and support agencies will be implemented in accordance with the actual situation, ensuring overall balance within the political system at the same level. For communes with adjusted administrative boundaries, the Provincial Standing Committee will direct the transfer and acceptance of Party organizations and Party members between the relevant commune-level Party committees.

The restructuring of the organizational apparatus and the placement of officials and civil servants at the commune level must be reported to the Central Organization Committee before August 15th.

According to Resolution 60 of the Central Committee issued on April 12th, 11 provinces and cities will remain unchanged, including Hanoi, Hue, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Cao Bang. 52 other localities will be merged, leaving 23 provinces and cities. Thus, the country will have a total of 34 provincial-level administrative units, including 28 provinces and 6 centrally-administered cities. It is expected that the number of commune-level administrative units nationwide will decrease by approximately 60-70% compared to the current number.