A new analysis released this week by Bitkom, the German IT industry association, reveals the ongoing progress and remaining gaps in the digitalization of public administration services across the nation. Currently, 349 out of 579 administrative services are offered digitally, with varying degrees of accessibility.
The report details that 199 services have been implemented in more than half of German cities and municipalities, while 165 have achieved nationwide rollout. Notably, 230 services remain entirely unavailable online, highlighting an area for substantial improvement.
Focus has been placed on services frequently accessed by citizens, categorized as “focus services” – including parental allowance and marriage registration. All 13 of these services are currently implemented digitally in at least 10% of municipalities, with two, citizen’s income and naturalization, having achieved complete nationwide availability.
Citizen perception of local government digitalization efforts is generally positive. Fifty percent of residents believe their municipality possesses a comparatively advanced level of digitization. A significant 70% express confidence in the local administration’s ability to manage digital processes effectively. However, a resounding 90% of respondents, across all age groups, believe that the push for digitization should be prioritized with greater urgency. This sentiment is particularly strong among younger citizens (18-29 year olds, 95%) but remains high even among older citizens (65+ years, 85%).
The findings are based on a survey conducted by Bitkom Research, involving telephone interviews with 1,005 individuals aged 18 and over in Germany. Data collection occurred during the period of the 27th to the 32nd calendar week of 2025.