A cohort of approximately 30 high-ranking civil servants and politicians is calling for a radical overhaul of the German federal administration, signaling growing concerns about inefficiency and eroding public trust. The proposal, detailed in a five-page paper commissioned by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) and reported by “Welt am Sonntag” advocates for a significant reduction in the size and modernization of federal ministries, alongside a dramatic decrease in the sprawling network of federal agencies. Currently, 946 such agencies exist, a number critics deem unsustainable.
The “Circle for State Modernization” suggests consolidating personnel management responsibilities within a central agency under the Federal Office for Administrative Affairs and centralizing IT functions within the ITZ Bund. The core argument hinges on the observation that a substantial portion of the federal administration’s personnel growth over the last decade has been dedicated not to core services, but to administering the bureaucracy itself. Bureaucratic leadership and central administration now account for nearly 20% of the federal workforce.
The paper contends that an overextended bureaucracy directly hinders efficiency. While personnel expenditures have doubled in a decade, public trust in the state has plummeted, a trend the reform proponents link to bureaucratic bloat and perceived ineffectiveness. The proposed reforms aim to redirect resources towards delivering tangible services and restoring public confidence.
Ralph Brinkhaus, former parliamentary group leader and current spokesperson for the CDU/CSU faction on digital affairs and state modernization, echoed the sentiment. “We need a much stronger pooling of services in the personnel and IT areas” he stated. He sharply criticized the proliferation of redundant structures, characterizing them as “double, triple and even sixteenfold structures” that Germany can no longer afford. Brinkhaus emphasized the urgency of implementing the ambitious state modernization chapter outlined in the current coalition agreement, expressing hope for its realization within the current legislative term.
The proposal, however, raises questions about potential disruptions to public services during the restructuring process and the implications for the numerous employees whose roles may be affected. While the ambition to streamline the federal administration appears to enjoy bipartisan support, the practical challenges of implementing such sweeping reforms remain considerable and are likely to fuel political debate in the coming months. The initiative underscores a growing political imperative to address concerns about bureaucratic inefficiency and reinvigorate public perception of governmental effectiveness.