To make resignation a cultural habit of behavior of officials

Resignation culture shows self-respect and responsibility of the person holding important responsibilities in the leadership apparatus for the common cause.

Resolution of the 7th Central Conference of the 12th tenure has identified the main task and solution in the coming time as "building regulations so that accepting responsibility, resigning, and resigning become a cultural habit of behavior for cadres".

Our Party and State have issued many documents to institutionalize and specify regulations on resignation of officials, the most recent of which is Regulation No. 41-QD/TW, dated November 3, 2021 of the Politburo on dismissal and resignation of officials, according to which "resignation is the act of an official voluntarily requesting to leave his position before the end of his term or before the end of his appointment period and is approved by the competent authority".

The national cadre conference disseminated and implemented the Conclusions and Regulations of the Central Executive Committee on Party building and rectification on December 9, 2021. (Illustration photo: Hai Nguyen)

Results and limitations

According to data from the Central Organizing Committee, from 2009 to 2019, there were 2,268 cases of resignation nationwide, mainly in localities.

Of these, 696 officials resigned to transfer leadership and management positions (30.68% rate, specifically including 37 officials of central agencies, 48 ​​provincial officials, 186 district officials and 425 commune officials). 755 officials resigned due to perceived limitations in capacity or health (33.28% rate, including 299 officials of central agencies, 119 provincial officials, 127 district officials and 210 commune officials). 124 officials resigned due to perceived lack of prestige to fulfill assigned duties and tasks; due to violations and shortcomings of agencies, organizations, units or subordinates related to their responsibilities (rate of 5.46%, including 8 officials in central agencies, 46 provincial officials, 14 district officials, 56 commune officials). There were 693 officials who asked to resign for other personal reasons (rate of 30.55%, including 138 officials in central agencies, 137 provincial officials, 123 district officials and 295 commune officials).

This result demonstrates that the awareness and responsibility of Party committees, Party organizations, cadres and Party members regarding voluntary resignation are increasingly enhanced, contributing to the good work of mobilizing, rotating, arranging and assigning work to cadres, tightening discipline and order, promptly replacing cadres to meet task requirements, and promoting the responsibility of the collective leadership and leaders in cadre work.

However, the actual reasons for officials to resign are mainly objective reasons. The number of officials who resign due to perceived limitations in capacity, health or lack of prestige to complete assigned duties and tasks is not much. The number of officials who resign is very small and mainly from local officials.

Although there are regulations related to the resignation of officials, in reality, the implementation still has some limitations and difficulties. That is, the organization and implementation is not unified and synchronous, there are still localities and units that are passive and confused in the face of arising problems. Some cases of officials voluntarily resigning are slow to be resolved, the procedures are cumbersome, lacking specificity and rigor. The spirit of self-criticism and voluntary "resignation" of officials for the common good is not much. The inspection, supervision, comments and evaluation of officials are still respectful, leading to a lack of basis to propose dismissal or resignation of officials. The heads of Party committees and agencies often have an evasive mentality, are not determined to mobilize and persuade officials to leave their positions or resign for the common good, especially in cases of limited capacity or lack of prestige to lead, manage or have made mistakes and shortcomings.

Currently, the awareness of a number of Party committees, cadres and Party members about resignation is still limited. Many cadres have negative views, are worried and burdened about resignation or are under pressure from public opinion, family, friends and colleagues, leading to not daring to resign. Some cases lack awareness of their own faults or think that the fault lies with the collective or the mechanism. On the other hand, the criteria, processes and mechanisms for evaluating cadres are not effective, and there is still a situation of emotional evaluation, leading to a lack of a clear basis for resolving resignations. In resolving "resignation" cases, there is still a situation of deference and fear of conflict, allowing cadres to hold positions until the end of their term, then not reappointing or not recommending candidates; or transferring or appointing them to hold other positions of equal or lower status.

Need strong, synchronous solutions

When the culture of resignation becomes a normal issue in personnel work, it will ensure that the staff is increasingly qualified, contributing to stability and development, meeting the demands of practice and solving the requirements well. Along with specific regulations on resignation, it is necessary to deploy groups of solutions on raising awareness, political and ideological education; supplementing and perfecting institutions; solutions on personnel work, inspection, supervision and handling of violations in personnel work.

Strengthen the dissemination and effective implementation of the Central Resolution No. 4, Session XI, Session XII, Conclusion No. 21-KL/TW dated October 25, 2021 on Party building and rectification in conjunction with the implementation of Directive No. 05-CT/TW of the Politburo and regulations on setting an example. Strengthen political and ideological education, promote honor and self-respect, form the consciousness of daring to think, daring to do, daring to take responsibility; improve the responsibility, spirit and ethics of public service of cadres, civil servants and public employees, especially those holding leadership and management positions so that each leader and manager himself/herself realizes that a position does not mean having power and benefits, but rather a position that comes with responsibility, spirit, attitude of dedication, sacrifice, for the common cause. Strengthening the propaganda in society about the culture of resignation, encouraging voluntary resignation and appreciating those who have courage, self-respect, and know how to voluntarily resign, orienting public opinion to have a positive view and attitude towards those who voluntarily resign, so that the issue of "resignation" becomes a natural and normal issue.

It is necessary to perfect the system of strict and synchronous regulations and rules on personnel work, including resignation of officials, specifically, clearly, synchronously, and interconnectedly between levels, sectors, between the Central and local levels. Develop a system of documents clearly stipulating the standards, responsibilities, and authority of each position, especially for leadership and management positions as a basis for assessment, monitoring, and serving the inspection and supervision work.

Comply with the principle of the Party's unified leadership of personnel work and management of the cadre team; ensure the principle of democratic centralism and the principles and regulations of the Party and the State's laws; Party committees, Party organizations, collective leadership, agencies and units uphold the sense of responsibility in dismissing and resigning cadres, especially leaders, combining both legality and morality, resolutely and promptly consider dismissing and resigning cadres when there is sufficient basis, and do not allow resignation of cadres who must be dismissed. Innovate the work of periodically evaluating cadres and before appointing and recommending candidates in a consistent, continuous, multi-dimensional manner, according to criteria, by products, through surveys, publicizing results and comparing with equivalent positions; link the evaluation of collectives and individuals, especially leaders, with the results of performing tasks of localities, agencies and units.

Strengthening the work of periodic and unscheduled inspection, supervision and audit in personnel work. Raising the sense of responsibility for self-criticism and criticism in personnel organization work, overcoming the tendency to be considerate, avoid, fear of conflict or take advantage to attack, defame or carry out personal intentions. Promoting the supervisory role of elected bodies, the Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, media agencies, press and people to control power in personnel work, build and manage cadres in the direction of openness, transparency and accountability according to regulations when requested ■

Dr. Phan Thang An
Standing Member of the Central Internal Political Protection Subcommittee,
Director of the Internal Political Protection Department, Central Organizing Committee