The president of the German Taxpayers Association, Reiner Holznagel, has called on the federal and state governments to reduce the number of civil service appointments and reform associated privileges, such as generous pensions and social security contributions exemptions.
In a statement to the “Rheinische Post” newspaper, Holznagel argued that the current scale of civil service significantly burdens public finances. He suggested a thorough review of the civil service status and its accompanying benefits, emphasizing the widening financial gap between public sector employees and those in private industry. He stated that the current level of financial advantage is increasingly difficult to justify given broader economic realities.
Holznagel proposed limiting new appointments to a minimum, restricting them exclusively to core sovereign functions – specifically within police forces, tax administration and the judicial system. His comments echo recent calls from CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann, who also highlighted the financial strain caused by public sector pension obligations and advocated for a reduction in the number of permanent civil service positions.