The Politburo and the Secretariat have issued Conclusion 187, outlining guidelines for the number of deputy positions within the political system from 2030 to 2035. Agencies must gradually reduce deputy positions to comply with these regulations by 2030.

The number of deputy positions will be determined by leadership and management scale, organizational characteristics, administrative unit classification based on population, area, number of subordinate units, and socioeconomic conditions.

Deputy positions cannot exceed 50% of each agency's total staff (excluding the communal-level Fatherland Front). Internally, the number of deputy directors and deputy heads of departments cannot exceed the number of deputy ministers, and the number of deputy heads of divisions cannot exceed the number of deputy directors. In unmerged agencies, the number of deputy ministers, vice chairmen of People's Councils, and vice chairmen of People's Committees at the provincial and communal levels remains unchanged.

At the central level, for agencies without existing regulations on maximum deputy positions, the number of deputy ministers cannot exceed 5. Deputy positions in central Party committees and agencies will follow regulations set by the Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat.

Ministries merged from two agencies can have a maximum of 6 deputy ministers, while those merged from three can have up to 7. If regulations on the number of deputy positions already existed, merged entities may add more, but the total cannot exceed 7.

Headquarters of the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs and Religion. Photo: Son Ha

Departments merged from two agencies can add one deputy head, and those merged from three can add two, not exceeding the number of deputy positions in their direct superiors. Agencies absorbing functions and organization from other units, or changing from general departments to departments or regional branches, can increase their number of deputy positions by one.

Ho Chi Minh City, after merging with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau to form a new city, will have two additional vice chairmen of the People’s Council and three additional vice chairmen of the People’s Committee compared to current regulations. Other centrally-administered cities merging from two units can add one vice chairman of the People’s Council and two vice chairmen of the People’s Committee; those merging from three units can add two and three, respectively.

At the provincial level, mergers of two units will result in one additional vice chairman of the People’s Council and two additional vice chairmen of the People’s Committee. Mergers of three units will result in one additional vice chairman of the People’s Council and three additional vice chairmen of the People’s Committee. Provincial departments and agencies merging from two localities can add one deputy director or deputy head of division; those merging from three can add two. Specialized departments maintain their current number of deputy directors and deputy heads of division.

Communes, wards, and special zones will have two deputy secretaries: one standing deputy secretary and one deputy secretary concurrently serving as chairman of the People's Committee.

Vu Tuan