General Secretary To Lam on April 14 signed Directive 45-CT/TW on organizing Party congresses at all levels, leading up to the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

This directive replaces Directive 35-CT/TW, dated June 14, 2024, and Conclusion 118-KL/TW, dated January 18, 2025, both issued by the Politburo on the same matter.

According to Directive 45, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, scheduled for early 2026, is a key political event of the Party and a major event for the nation.

It marks a significant milestone in the country's development, opening "an era of national awakening" characterized by "self-reliance, confidence, independence, resilience, and national pride".

It also represents a time to comprehensively and decisively implement reforms to streamline organizational structures and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the political system.

The congress will review the five-year implementation of the Resolution from the 13th National Party Congress, summarize theoretical and practical lessons from 40 years of socialist-oriented reform in Vietnam, review the Party's development efforts and the implementation of the Party Charter, and assess the five-year implementation of the 10-year Socio-Economic Development Strategy for 2021–2030. It will also outline development directions for 2026-2030 and beyond, and elect the 14th Party Central Committee for the 2026-2031 term.

The Party congresses at all levels for the 2025-2030 term will be a broad political movement, taking place amid significant achievements in all areas: Party building, political system reform, anti-corruption, economic and social development, national defense, security, and foreign affairs. Vietnam's international position and reputation continue to grow, national unity is being strengthened, and public trust in the Party continues to improve.

1. Party congresses at all levels will cover four main items:

(1) Review the implementation of the resolutions from the 2020–2025 term and set the direction, goals, tasks, and solutions for the 2025–2030 term.

(2) Discuss and contribute feedback on the draft documents for the 14th National Congress and for the congresses of the immediate higher Party level.

(3) Elect the Party Executive Committee for the 2025–2030 term.

(4) Elect delegates to attend the congress of the immediate higher Party level.

In places where personnel preparations are genuinely difficult and with approval from the competent Party committee, the congress may proceed with only three items and postpone the election of the new Executive Committee.

For provincial and municipal Party organizations undergoing mergers or restructuring, as well as Party organizations at commune, ward, and special-zone levels – including newly established or reorganized ones based on Central Party resolutions and conclusions – the congress will focus on two items: (i) reviewing the 2020–2025 term based on the resolutions of the predecessor Party organizations, and (ii) setting directions, goals, and tasks for the 2025–2030 term and contributing to the draft documents of the higher-level congress.

These congresses will not elect new executive committees or delegates. Instead, the standing committee of the immediate higher Party level will appoint the new Executive Committee, Standing Committee, Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Inspection Commission, and delegate list for the higher-level congress.

For commune-level Party organizations not undergoing mergers that have already held their 2025–2030 term congresses, the following steps will apply:

(i) Hold Executive Committee meetings to discuss the draft documents of the higher-level Party congress.

(ii) Based on criteria, conditions, structure, and numbers as defined in the Politburo's directive, provincial and municipal Party committees will continue to review and finalize personnel for the 2025–2030 term and for delegation to higher-level congresses, ensuring compliance with regulations.

2. Draft documents presented to the congress must include two key reports:

The political report: This is the central document and should guide all other reports. It must provide a comprehensive, objective, and honest evaluation of the situation, results, strengths, weaknesses, causes, and lessons learned.

It should reflect new tasks and realities, incorporate major guidelines from the draft documents of the 14th National Congress and higher-level Party congresses, and include a forecast of future developments. The report must propose realistic goals, targets, tasks, and solutions for the 2025-2030 term, highlighting breakthrough initiatives and long-term visions.

The review report of the Party Executive Committee: This report should be rigorous and reflect a spirit of self-criticism and criticism. It must honestly and comprehensively evaluate the leadership, direction, and implementation results during the 2020-2025 term, including the execution of Central Committee Resolutions and Conclusions from the 11th, 12th, and 13th Party Congresses, the practice of studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, ethics, and style, and compliance with the Party's rules and codes of conduct – especially for leaders.

It should clearly identify the causes of limitations and weaknesses (especially subjective ones), assign specific responsibilities to collectives and individuals, and propose clear plans and measures for correction and improvement in the 2025–2030 term.

3. Personnel preparation and election of Party Committee:

3.1. Standards for Party Committee members

The selection and nomination of new term Party committee members must thoroughly implement Resolution 26-NQ/TW dated May 19, 2018, by the 12th Party Central Committee, the standards for officials as stated in Regulation 89-QD/TW dated August 4, 2017, and Regulation 214-QD/TW dated January 2, 2020, by the 12th Politburo, as well as other Party and State regulations. Based on these general requirements and standards outlined in this Directive, Party committees at all levels must adapt them appropriately to their specific situations (Appendix 1).

3.2. Reference time for age calculation for participation in Party Committees, Government, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front (including socio-political organizations)

The reference time for calculating the age to participate in the Party committee (i.e., the time the Party congress begins at each level) is as follows: grassroots level - April 2025, immediate superior level (including Party committees under the Central Public Security Party Committee) - June 2025, Party committees of communes, wards, and special zones under provincial level - July 2025, and centrally managed level - September 2025.

The reference time for age calculation to participate in leadership positions in the People's Council, People's Committee, and National Assembly delegations is March 2026.

For leadership roles in the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations, the reference time is the date of each organization's congress.

3.3. Age requirements for participation in Party Committees, government, and socio-political organizations

Newly nominated individuals must have at least one full term of working time remaining at the reference date for their respective congress or election, as specified in Point 3.2 above.

Those nominated for re-election must have at least 48 months of service left at the time the Party congress begins at each level. In special cases, deputy secretaries of provincial or city Party committees must have at least 42 months remaining (Appendix 2).

Officials re-elected to Party committees may also be re-elected to leadership roles in the government or mass organizations, but must have at least 36 months of service left at the time of election or congress as stated in Point 3.2 above.

Members of the 13th Party Central Committee will follow age guidelines stated in the personnel orientation for the 14th National Party Congress.

3.4. Age requirement for re-election to Party Inspection Committees

The Politburo assigns the Central Inspection Commission to detail and guide the increase in the minimum remaining time required for re-election to inspection committees – from 24 months to 42 months (an 18-month increase) – to ensure alignment with general re-election age requirements for Party committees.

Assure that the provincial Party secretary cannot come from the local areas

Regarding the structure and number of Party committee members, Standing Committee members, and deputy secretaries:

The composition must ensure the Party committee can lead directly and comprehensively over key areas and sectors. Emphasis should be placed on quality rather than quotas – no local unit, department, or sector is guaranteed a seat on the Party committee.

Mandatory positions ("hard structure") for the Standing Committee are clearly defined, other positions will be determined by the Party committee based on political mission needs and available personnel.

Personnel planning must strike a balance between local cadres and those transferred or rotated from other areas. Where a local Party committee lacks qualified candidates, the immediate superior Party committee must consider transferring suitable officials from elsewhere to meet political requirements, including nomination or post-congress appointments.

At the provincial and commune levels, it is recommended that the Party secretary (or deputy secretary) concurrently hold the position of Chairperson of the People's Council.

Generally, each member of a provincial Party Standing Committee should not concurrently hold more than two of the following positions: Party Secretary, Vice Secretary, Chairperson of the People's Council, Chairperson of the People's Committee, Head of the National Assembly delegation, or Chairperson of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. Exceptions require higher-level approval.

Efforts should be made to appoint provincial-level Party secretaries from outside the locality, while balancing the use of local officials in the planning process. This goal should be achieved at the commune level and encouraged for other key roles.

Officials who have served as secretary of an immediate superior Party committee (or equivalent) for more than two consecutive terms (eight years or more) must be reassigned or nominated to a different locality or agency.

The Party Committees must strive to ensure female Party committee members account for at least 15% of the total with women present in the Standing Committee. Young members (under 42 years old at provincial or commune levels) should account for at least 10% of the total for the whole term.

Members with scientific or technological qualifications account for around 5% of the total. Ethnic minority representation must align with local demographics and practical conditions.

Party committees and leaders must actively develop plans for training, rotation, promotion, and placement of female, young, ethnic minority, and technically qualified cadres into structured positions for the upcoming term.

At least one-third of total Party committee members should be newly appointed (excluding merged or restructured Party committees). Three age groups should be represented across all Party committees and within Standing Committees where possible.

At the start of the term, where quotas or structures have not been met, new personnel should be proactively prepared for mid-term adjustments as needed.

The Central Military Commission, Central Public Security Party Committee, and Standing Committees under the Central Committee will provide specific guidelines on Party committee composition and personnel quotas for youth, women, ethnic minorities, and scientifically qualified cadres, tailored to the characteristics of armed forces, enterprises, and special-function agencies.

Each Party congress will decide on the number of committee members based on standards and available personnel. The new Party committee will determine the number of Standing Committee members and deputy secretaries based on higher-level regulations.

Timeline for Party congresses at all levels

Grassroots-level congresses (for Party members or delegates): No more than 2 days, to be completed by June 30, 2025.

Immediate superior level and ward/commune/special zone congresses: No more than 2 days, to be completed by August 31, 2025.

Centrally managed Party congresses: No more than 4 days (may be shorter if split into two phases), to be completed by October 31, 2025.

Pre-congress meetings (for levels above grassroots): Not more than half a day and included in total congress duration.

Pilot congresses: To begin in Q3 of 2025 for both superior and centrally managed levels.

The adjustment and supplementation of committee members or Standing Committee members for the 2020–2025 term will follow Conclusion 128-KL/TW dated March 7, 2025, by the Politburo regarding personnel policy.

Directive 45 also details the preparation of congress documents, internal discussion procedures, election processes, Party committee structure and size, election procedures, delegate selection for upper-level congresses, and overall implementation.