Prime Minister of Vietnam

Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Thủ tướng Chính phủ nước Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam
Emblem of Vietnam
Incumbent Nguyễn Tấn Dũng since 27 June 2006
Appointer	National Assembly of Vietnam
Term length	Five years renewable once
Inaugural holder	Hồ Chí Minh
Formation	2 September 1945
Website	http://thutuong.chinhphu.vn/

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

The head of government is responsible to the National Assembly and serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Defense and Security Council. The tenure of a Prime Minister is five years, and the term is renewable once. In case of incapacitation to discharge duties of office, 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 office of President has varied throughout the years. For instance, Phạm Văn Đồng, the second Prime Minister, often lamented that he had little power in practice. Since the death of Phạm Hùng in 1988, the Prime Minister has been ranked 3 in the order of precedence of the Communist Party's Politburo, the highest decision-making body in Vietnam. The current prime minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng has served since 2005, and is serving his last term.

History

Main article: List of Prime Ministers of Vietnam

Hồ Chí 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. Both the 1946 and 1959 Constitution states that the National Assembly had the powers to appoint and relieve the Prime Minister of his duties. 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.

Phạm Văn Đồng, the second Prime Minister of Vietnam, served until 1986, making him the longest-serving Prime Minister in Vietnamese history. By the time he resigned in 1986, Phạm was the oldest serving Prime Minister in the world. While Phạm served for a long time in his position, he often lamented that he was one of the weakest prime ministers in the world. On one occasion he said; "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." Since the death of Phạm Hùng in 1988, the Prime Minister has been ranked number 3 in the order of precedence of the Communist Party's Politburo.

Duties, powers and responsibilities

Vietnam

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Vietnam

Constitution Constitution Ho Chi Minh Thought Marxism–Leninism State President (List): Trương Tấn Sang Vice President: Nguyễn Thị Định Central Government Prime Minister (List): Nguyễn Tấn Dũng Deputy Prime Minister 1st ranking: Nguyễn Sinh Hùng National Assembly Standing Committee Chairman: Nguyễn Sinh Hùng Communist Party National Congress Central Committee General Secretary: Nguyễn Phú Trọng Central Politburo Central Secretariat Executive Secretary: Lê Hồng Anh Central Military Commission Chairman: Nguyễn Phú Trọng Central Commission for Inspection Secretary: Ngô Văn Dụ Politics Political parties Vietnamese Fatherland Front Chairman: Huỳnh Đảm Elections Presidential: 2007, 2011 Parliamentary: 2007, 2011 Judiciary Supreme People's Court Chief Justice: Trương Hòa Bình Supreme People's Procuracy Director: Nguyễn Hòa Bình Subdivisions Regions Provinces · Municipalities Districts Communes Related topics Human rights Foreign relations Foreign aid

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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 it is is the assembly which elects ministers to government. Activity Reports by the Prime Minister has to 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 rights to question the Prime Minister and other members of government.

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 the National Assembly or it's Standing Committee and the President. In the case that the Prime Minister is absent, the Prime Minister has to chose one of his Deputy Prime Ministers to direct the work of the government. The Prime Minister shall issue decisions directives, and supervise the implementation of formal orders given by the President, the National Assembly or the Standing Committee. 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. According to the Constitution of Vietnam, the following are the following duties, powers and responsibilities of the Prime Minister:

• 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;
• To propose to the National Assembly to establish or dissolve ministries, organs with ministerial rank; 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;
• To appoint, release from duty, or dismiss Deputy Ministers and officials of equal rank; 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;
• 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, and other formal written documents of superior State organs;
• To suspend the execution of resolutions of People's Councils of provinces and cities under direct central rule that contravene the Constitution, the law, and formal written orders of superior State organs; at the same time to propose to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly to annul them;
• To make regular reports to the people through the mass media on major issues to be settled by the Government.

The Prime Minister serves concurrently as the Secretary of the CPV Government Caucus Commission, while the National Assembly chairman serves as the commission's deputy. Currently there are ten members of the Commission; all of whom hold governmental posts. 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.

Living former prime ministers

• 

  Đỗ Mười,
  served 1988–1991

• 

  Phan Văn Khải,
  served 1997–2006

See also

• President of Vietnam
• Vice President of Vietnam
• Leaders of South Vietnam