In order to ensure comprehensive and objective public feedback on the amendments to the Constitution, the National Assembly organized a public consultation on the draft amendments from May 6 to June 5. Over the course of one month, people across the country, including officials, party members, civil servants, and professionals from various sectors, have participated in providing feedback on the constitutional amendments through various channels: online, in person, or at meetings and conferences. In recent days, local governments and political-social organizations across the country have been conducting public consultations and compiling feedback on the proposed amendments to the 2013 Constitution.

In Điện Biên province, public consultation is taking place not only in community meetings in villages and hamlets but also in agencies, organizations, and political-social units. Within the first three days of mobilization, Điện Biên was one of the top three provinces in the country to conduct public consultations on the draft amendments to the 2013 Constitution through the VNeID application, with 14,771 participants, reaching more than 3% of the target. The initial results compiled by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Điện Biên province show that officials, party members, and people from various ethnic groups in the province generally agree with the amendments to the Constitution. Some suggestions include a clearer mechanism for controlling power, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the people, and fully promoting the people’s role in governance starting from the grassroots level. The feedback also centers around improving the local government structure in the context of administrative unit mergers, clarifying citizens’ basic rights and duties, enhancing the supervision and social criticism roles of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and political-social organizations, and defining the functions and duties of these organizations when amending the Constitution in relation to laws and specialized regulations.

The public consensus on the proposed amendments shows that people trust the policies of the Party and State in the ongoing restructuring of the political system, enhancing its efficiency, and improving its effectiveness. This consensus carries significant political meaning, creating trust and motivation for achieving socio-economic development goals and ushering in a new era of development. The question now is how to transform this public trust into concrete actions for the successful realization of the goal of streamlining the administrative apparatus. This requires the relevant advisory bodies and local governments to carefully consider and propose appropriate solutions.

The restructuring of the political apparatus and the merging of administrative units are being carried out swiftly in Điện Biên according to the progress and regulations set by the central government. After the merger, Điện Biên reduced the number of communes from 129 to 45 (3 urban wards and 42 communes). According to Resolution No.74/NQ-CP, dated April 7, 2025, the government will terminate the district-level administration and establish a two-tier local government system by June 30, 2025. Thus, the district-level government will officially cease operations from July 1, 2025. The restructuring of the political system and administrative unit mergers are being carried out quickly, based on the principle that the central government will focus on macro-management, building institutions, strategies, coordinated plans, and decentralization for localities under the spirit of “local decisions, local actions, and local responsibility.”

Simultaneously, a review and implementation of the decentralization between relevant sectors and fields will be conducted to ensure coherence, integration, and avoid overlap in duties. During this restructuring process, it is necessary to ensure that work is not interrupted; address the issue of inaction, reluctance to take responsibility, and ensure smooth and effective operations. Provincial departments and sectors have been swiftly merging and improving regulations, clearly assigning responsibilities to individuals and ensuring favorable conditions for resolving public issues, especially in units with frequent public contact.

With the public’s trust and consensus, people believe that the ongoing administrative apparatus reform and unit mergers will ensure the right people are chosen for the right tasks to meet practical needs. This belief is vital because there have been negative consequences in the past when the wrong people were assigned to positions, causing a loss of trust in the government and negatively affecting the efficiency of operations. At this stage, the focus is on assigning individuals based on their abilities, responsibility, and the courage to take action, rather than just looking at structure or qualifications. The reform of the entire political system does not accept officials who are afraid of change, shirk responsibility, or are unwilling to act.

Once the right people are appointed to the right tasks, work efficiency increases, and this will create a new momentum for comprehensive reforms, helping the country enter a new era of development.

The restructuring of the political apparatus and the merger of administrative units will provide a solid foundation for the country to enter a new era - an era of growth for the nation, meeting the trust and expectations of every citizen. This is also a crucial foundation for Điện Biên to successfully implement the reform of streamlining the political apparatus, merging administrative units, and developing the far-western region.