Prime Minister of Vietnam

The prime minister of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Thủ tướng Việt Nam), officially styled Prime Minister of the Government of the Socialist Republic (Vietnamese: Thủ tướng Chính phủ nước Cộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa), is the head of government of Vietnam who presides over the meetings of the Central Government (formerly the Council of Ministers). The prime minister directs the work of government members, and may propose deputy prime ministers to the National Assembly.

Prime minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Thủ tướng Chính phủ nước Cộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam
Incumbent
Nguyễn Xuân Phúc
since 7 April 2016
Office of the Prime Minister
StyleHis Excellency
(in international correspondence)
Member of
Reports toPresident
National Assembly of Vietnam
AppointerNational Assembly of Vietnam
Term lengthFive years
renewable once
Inaugural holderHo Chi Minh
Formation2 September 1945
SalaryVND 15,125,000 monthly[1]
Websiteprimeminister.chinhphu.vn

The head of government is responsible to the National Assembly and serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Council for Defence and Security. Moreover, prime minister is also Chairman of the Council for National Education, Standing Member of the Central Military Commission and the Central Police Party Committee. The tenure of a prime minister is five years, and the term is renewable once. The current prime minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has served since 2016. In case of incapacity, a deputy prime minister assumes the office of acting prime minister until the prime minister resumes duty, or until the appointment of a new prime minister.

The powers and prestige of the prime minister have varied through the years. Pham Van Dong, Vietnam's second prime minister, often lamented that in practice he had little power. Since the death of Pham Hung in 1988, the prime minister has been ranked 3rd in the order of precedence of the Communist Party's Politburo, the highest decision-making body in Vietnam.

History
Main article: List of Prime Ministers of Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh, who also served as the country's President, was appointed Vietnam's first prime minister in 1946 by the National Assembly, after having served months as Acting Chairman of the Provisional Government and foreign minister in the aftermath of the 1945 August Revolution.[2] Both the 1946 and 1959 Constitutions state that the National Assembly had the power to appoint and relieve the prime minister of his duties.[3] The prime minister presided over the Council of Ministers, the highest executive body of state, from 1981 until it was renamed to Government in the 1992 constitution. The office of prime minister was renamed in the 1980 constitution to that of Chairman of the Council of Ministers.[4]

Pham Van Dong, the second Prime Minister of Vietnam, served as North Vietnamese Prime Minister from 1955 until 1976, when he became prime minister of a unified Vietnam, and then until 1987, when he resigned. At his resignation, he was the longest-serving prime minister in Vietnamese history, and the oldest serving prime minister in the world. He often lamented that he was one of the world's weakest prime ministers, on one occasion saying; "I can do nothing. When I say something, nobody listens. If I propose changing a deputy minister, it turns out to be impossible. I cannot even choose my own ministers."[5] Since the death of Pham Hung in 1988, the prime minister has been ranked Number 3 in the order of precedence of the Communist Party's Politburo.[6]

Duties, powers and responsibilities
Vietnam
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The National Assembly by a proposal of the President of Vietnam elects the prime minister. The prime minister is responsible to the National Assembly, and the Assembly elects all ministers to government. Activity reports by the prime minister must be given to the National Assembly, while the Standing Committee of the National Assembly supervises the activities of the Central Government and the prime minister. Finally, the deputies of the National Assembly have the right to question the prime minister and other members of government.[7]

The prime minister is the only member of government who must be a member of the National Assembly. This is because the prime minister is accountable to the National Assembly, and he reports to it, or to its Standing Committee, and to the president. The prime minister issues directives and supervises the implementation of formal orders given by the president, the National Assembly or the Standing Committee.[8] Cabinet members and members of the Central Government in general are responsible to the prime minister and the National Assembly for the fields they specialise in.[9] According to the Constitution of Vietnam, the following are the duties, powers and responsibilities of the prime minister:[10]

  • To head the Central Government, and direct the works of members of the Central Government, the People's Councils at all levels and to chair the meetings of the Cabinet;[10]
  • To propose to the National Assembly that ministries, or organs with ministerial rank, be established or dissolved; to present to the National Assembly or, when the latter is not in session, to its Standing Committee, for approval, proposals on the appointment, release from duty, or dismissal of deputy prime ministers, cabinet ministers and other members of the Government;[10]
  • To appoint, release from duty, or dismiss deputy ministers and officials of equal rank; to approve the election, release from duty, secondment and dismissal of chairmen and deputy chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities under direct central rule;[10]
  • To suspend or annul decisions, directives and circulars of cabinet ministers and other Government members, decisions and directives of People's Councils and chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities under direct central rule that contravene the Constitution, the law, or other formal written documents of superior State organs;[10]
  • To suspend the execution of resolutions of People's Councils of provinces and cities under direct central rule that contravene the Constitution, the law, or the formal written orders of superior State organs; at the same time to propose to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly to annul them;[10]
  • To make regular reports to the people through the mass media on major issues to be settled by the Government.[10]
  • When the prime minister is absent, he must choose one of his deputy prime ministers to direct the work of the government.[11]

The prime minister serves concurrently as the secretary of the CPV Government Caucus Commission. The National Assembly chairman serves as the commission's deputy. Currently there are ten members of the Commission, all of whom hold government posts.[12] Commission members are appointed by the Politburo, and the Commission itself is responsible to the Politburo and the Secretariat. The decision-making process within the Commission is based on the principles of collective leadership.[13]

Living former prime ministers
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References
  1. News, V. T. C. (13 August 2016). "Lương của Chủ tịch nước, Thủ tướng, Chủ tịch Quốc hội là bao nhiêu? - VTC News". Báo VTC.
  2. Staff writer. "CAC THU TUONG CHINH PHU TIEN NHIEM" [Former Prime Ministers] (in Vietnamese). Office of the Prime Minister. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  3. "Article 50 of the 1946/1959 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam". the 1946/1959 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
  4.  This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress document: Ronald J. Cima (December 1987). Ronald J. Cima (ed.). Vietnam: A country study. Federal Research Division. Constitutional Evolution.
  5. Menétrey-Monchau 2006, p. 79.
  6. Staff writer. "Ban chấp hanh Trung ương, Bo Chinh trị, Ban Bi thư" [Central Committee, Politburo, Secretariat] (in Vietnamese). Communist Party of Vietnam. pp. I–X. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  7. "Political system". Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  8. "Article 115 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam". the 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
  9. "Article 117 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam". the 1992 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
  10. Article 114 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
  11. Article 110 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
  12. Staff writer (1 August 2006). "Ban Can su đang Chinh phu" [Government Caucus Commission of the Party] (in Vietnamese). Communist Party of Vietnam. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  13. Staff writer (3 April 2006). "Quyết định của Ban Bi thu so 48-QĐ/TW: Ve viec lap Ban Can sự đang o cac bo va co quan ngang bo, ngay 14 thang 12 nam 1992" [The decision of the Secretariat of 48-QD/TW: Commission for Elaboration of the party in government ministries and ministerial-level agencies, December 14, 1992] (in Vietnamese). Communist Party of Vietnam. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2012.

Bibliography
  • Menétrey-Monchau, Cécile (2006). American–Vietnamese relations in the Wake of War: Diplomacy after the Capture of Saigon, 1975–1979. McFarland. ISBN 9780786423989.
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