Senior officials who violate the law will not be given a state funeral.

The Government has just issued Decree 237/2025/ND-CP amending and supplementing the organization of funerals for officials, civil servants and public employees.

Accordingly, Decree No. 237/2025/ND-CP amended and supplemented Article 3 of Decree No. 105/2012/ND-CP in the direction of adding principles to change funeral rituals, specifically: Officials, civil servants, and public employees who are working or retired when they pass away will have their funerals organized according to one of the following rituals: national funeral; state funeral; high-level funeral; funeral of officials, civil servants, and public employees.

Notably, the decree adds regulations on organizing funerals for officials who retire or resign due to violations or shortcomings.

Specifically, in the case of a deceased person holding one of the positions of General Secretary; President; Prime Minister; or Chairman of the National Assembly who is dismissed from office, retired from work, retired before the prescribed age, or retired according to regulations due to violations or shortcomings, the funeral will be held according to high-level funeral rites.

This is a new point compared to the old regulation, when the four high-ranking leaders mentioned above passed away, all had a state funeral, regardless of whether they violated the law or not.

The Decree also amends and supplements the titles of those who are entitled to a State funeral. Accordingly, officials who are holding or have ceased to hold one of the following positions after their death will be entitled to a State funeral: Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee; Vice President; Deputy Prime Minister; Vice Chairman of the National Assembly; Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court; Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme People's Procuracy ; General of the People's Armed Forces; Senior Lieutenant General of the People's Armed Forces who were revolutionary cadres before the August 1945 Uprising.

In the case of a deceased person holding one of the above-mentioned positions who is dismissed from his/her position, retired from work, retired before the prescribed age, or retired according to regulations due to violations or shortcomings by a competent authority, the funeral will be organized according to high-level funeral rites; if disciplined by dismissal or removal of position or title, the funeral will be organized according to funeral rites for cadres, civil servants, or public employees.

Regarding the positions that are eligible for high-level funerals, the decree is amended and supplemented as follows: Officials and civil servants who are in office or have ceased to hold positions under the management of the Politburo and the Central Party Secretariat (except for positions that are eligible for national funerals and state funerals); revolutionary cadres before January 1, 1945 (revolutionary veterans) who were awarded the First Class Independence Medal or higher; cadres who were active in the South during the anti-American resistance period (1954 - 1975) who were awarded the First Class Independence Medal or higher; outstanding social, cultural and scientific activists (awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize - individual award) and were awarded the First Class Independence Medal or higher...

In the case of a deceased person who is a Central Committee member (except for positions that are subject to a state funeral and a state funeral), the competent authority will remove him/her from office, suspend work, retire early, or retire according to regulations due to violations or shortcomings. The funeral will be organized according to the funeral rites for officials, civil servants, and public employees.

The Decree also stipulates that money issued by the State Bank of Vietnam and foreign currency must not be scattered during the funeral procession from the funeral home or family to the burial site; and that votive offerings must not be burned at the burial site.

The Government clearly stated that it is necessary to limit the scattering of votive paper in funerals; encourage organizations and individuals to use rotating wreaths in funerals; and funeral organizers should prepare rotating wreaths.

LAM NGUYEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/can-bo-cap-cao-vi-pham-se-khong-duoc-to-chuc-quoc-tang-post811437.html