A German Taxpayers’ Association Criticizes the Planned Expansion of the Federal Government
The German Taxpayers’ Association has criticized the planned creation of 208 additional positions in the federal government, calling it the “largest federal government in history” if the plans are approved by the budget committee. Reiner Holznagel, the association’s president, told the Welt news channel that the move is a betrayal of promises, particularly by the Union party.
Holznagel said the association has seen a surge in the number of ministers and state secretaries, but not a corresponding reduction in the number of public employees. The association is calling for a “red line” to be drawn, as the planned expansion would result in enormous costs for taxpayers. The president emphasized that the association is not against the concept of a strong federal government, but rather against the lack of fiscal responsibility.
The association is also critical of the planned creation of 150 new positions at the new digital ministry, which Holznagel says is paradoxical, given the ministry’s aim to modernize and make the state more efficient. The president also expressed surprise at the request by Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil to create eight new positions for former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling it a contradiction given the previous emphasis on reducing the number of positions for former chancellors.
The association is urging the budget committee to reject the plans and instead implement the promised fiscal changes, including the “one in, two out” principle, where new positions are created by reducing others elsewhere in the government.