Prime Minister of Vietnam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam |
|
|---|---|
Emblem of Vietnam
|
|
| Office of the Prime Minister | |
| Style | Mr Prime Minister (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic) Đồng chí (internal) |
| Member of |
|
| Reports to |
|
| Seat | Government Office |
| Appointer | National Assembly |
| Term length | Five years, renewable |
| Inaugural holder | Phạm Văn Đồng |
| Formation | 2 September 1945 |
| Salary | 29,250,000₫ monthly |
The Prime Minister of Vietnam is like the main leader of the government in Vietnam. Their official title in Vietnamese is Thủ tướng Chính phủ, which means "Government Premier". This person is in charge of the Government and leads its meetings.
The Prime Minister helps direct the work of all government members. They can also suggest people to become deputy prime ministers to the National Assembly. The National Assembly is like Vietnam's parliament or main law-making body.
The Prime Minister is responsible to the National Assembly. They also help lead the Council for National Defence and Security, which deals with protecting the country. Plus, they lead the Council for National Education and are an important member of the country's military and police committees. A Prime Minister serves for five years and can be chosen again for another term. The current Prime Minister, Phạm Minh Chính, started his role in 2021. If the Prime Minister can't do their job for a while, a deputy prime minister steps in until the Prime Minister returns or a new one is chosen.
Over the years, the power and importance of the Prime Minister have changed. For example, Phạm Văn Đồng, who was the first Prime Minister of a united Vietnam, sometimes felt he didn't have much power. Since 1988, the Prime Minister has been ranked third in importance within the Communist Party's Politburo. The Politburo is the top group that makes big decisions in Vietnam.
History of the Prime Minister Role
Ho Chi Minh, who was also the country's president, became Vietnam's first Prime Minister in 1946. This happened after he had been the acting leader of the government and foreign minister following the 1945 August Revolution. Both the 1946 and 1959 constitutions (the country's main rulebooks) said that the National Assembly had the power to choose and remove the Prime Minister.
From 1981, the Prime Minister led the Council of Ministers, which was the main executive body of the state. In 1992, this group was renamed the Government. The title of Prime Minister was also changed in the 1980 constitution to "Chairman of the Council of Ministers" before going back to Prime Minister.
Phạm Văn Đồng served as Prime Minister of North Vietnam from 1955. When Vietnam became one country in 1976, he became the Prime Minister of the united Vietnam. He stayed in this role until 1987, making him the longest-serving Prime Minister in Vietnamese history and the oldest serving Prime Minister in the world at that time. He sometimes felt he was one of the weakest prime ministers globally. He once said, "I can do nothing. When I say something, nobody listens." Since 1988, the Prime Minister has been ranked third in importance in the Communist Party's Politburo.
What the Prime Minister Does
The National Assembly chooses the Prime Minister based on a suggestion from the President of Vietnam. The Prime Minister is responsible to the National Assembly. The Assembly also chooses all the other ministers in the government. The Prime Minister must give reports on their work to the National Assembly. The Standing Committee of the National Assembly (a smaller group from the Assembly) also watches over the work of the government and the Prime Minister. Members of the National Assembly can ask the Prime Minister and other government members questions.
The Prime Minister is the only government member who must also be a member of the National Assembly. This is because they are directly answerable to the National Assembly, its Standing Committee, and the President. The Prime Minister gives out instructions and makes sure that orders from the President, the National Assembly, or its Standing Committee are followed. Other government members are responsible to the Prime Minister and the National Assembly for their specific areas of work.
According to the Constitution of Vietnam, here are some of the main things the Prime Minister does:
- They lead the entire government and direct the work of all government members. They also lead the meetings of the Cabinet (the group of top ministers).
- They suggest to the National Assembly if new ministries (government departments) should be created or old ones closed. They also propose who should be appointed, removed, or dismissed as deputy prime ministers, cabinet ministers, and other government members.
- They appoint, remove, or dismiss deputy ministers and other officials of similar rank. They also approve the election or removal of leaders of local People's Committees in provinces and major cities.
- They can stop or cancel decisions and instructions from cabinet ministers or other government members if those decisions go against the Constitution, laws, or other official government documents.
- They can stop resolutions (decisions) made by local People's Councils in provinces and major cities if those resolutions go against the Constitution, laws, or orders from higher government bodies. They then ask the Standing Committee of the National Assembly to cancel them.
- They regularly inform the public through news media about important issues the government is dealing with.
- If the Prime Minister is away, they must choose one of their deputy prime ministers to lead the government's work.
The Prime Minister also serves as the secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam's Government Caucus Commission. This commission works closely with the Politburo and Secretariat (other top leadership groups of the Communist Party) to make decisions.
See also
In Spanish: Primer ministro de Vietnam para niños
