The Ministry of Interior proposes that district-level authorities cease operations from July 1, 2025.

This is one of the notable points in the draft Law on Organization of Local Government (amended) recently released by the Ministry of Interior for public comment.

Specifically, the bill states that the People's Council, its affiliated agencies, the People's Committee, the Chairman of the People's Committee, and specialized agencies under the People's Committee of districts, cities under provinces, cities under centrally-governed cities, and towns shall cease performing their duties and powers and cease operations from July 1, 2025.

Furthermore, the bill also stipulates that the local government structure in wards of Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City for the 2021-2026 term will continue until the ward People's Committees for the 2026-2031 term are elected.

The adjustment of the duties and powers of the People's Committees of districts (before their dissolution) in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City to the People's Committees of the cities and wards of these two cities will be regulated by the National Assembly until the People's Committees of the cities and wards of Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City for the 2026-2031 term are elected.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the amendment and supplementation of the current Law on Organization of Local Government aims to ensure consistency with the provisions of the 2013 Constitution (after amendment and supplementation) on local government in the context of implementing the Party's policy on streamlining the organization and apparatus of the political system (eliminating district-level organizations and implementing a two-tiered local government model).

To ensure that local government operations are not disrupted during the transition from a three-tiered to a two-tiered system, the Ministry of Interior proposes the development of transitional regulations such as a timeframe for the Government to redefine the tasks and powers of local governments, and a timeframe for district-level authorities to hand over their responsibilities.

End the urban governance model.

In addition, to address issues arising from the transition of the local government organizational model from three to two levels, the Ministry of Interior also proposed a bill stipulating the termination of the urban government model currently in place in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hai Phong.

Accordingly, the draft law stipulates that, starting from July 1st, all or specific articles, clauses, and chapters in a number of laws and resolutions related to the organization of urban government will be repealed.

Specifically, the following provisions are to be repealed: Chapter 2 of the Law on the Capital City; and Resolution No. 169 of the National Assembly on the organization of urban government in Hai Phong.

From May 1st, 2026, Resolution No. 131 of the National Assembly on the organization of urban government in Ho Chi Minh City will be repealed; Articles 7 and 8 of Resolution No. 136 on the organization of urban government and piloting some specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Da Nang city will also be repealed...

The draft revised Law on Organization of Local Government will be considered by the National Assembly at its 9th session, scheduled to open in early May.