The German District Council Association (Deutscher Landkreistag) is calling for heightened efforts in civil protection that must go beyond the planned investments from the federal government. According to the association’s Managing Director, Kay Ruge, the combination of changing security conditions, hybrid threats, potential attack or war scenarios, and increasingly frequent natural disasters necessitates taking state-level crisis planning far more seriously and allocating additional funds.
However, Ruge stressed that the responsibility for public safety cannot be viewed solely from the federal standpoint. He pointed out that civil defense primarily functions at the local level, relying on districts and municipalities, including local control centers, fire departments, aid organizations, hospitals, and administrative staff.
He questioned how much of the equipment and vehicles promised through the supplementary funding package would actually reach the local districts, arguing that this could only be determined once the exact contents of the package are known. Ruge was adamant that “given the significantly changed threat landscape, further investment will be necessary” suggesting that the current federal agreement may only be a starting step. He emphasized that the association expected the federal government to use its new financing options comprehensively, even beyond the terms of the pact.
For Ruge, the critical factor is the implementation of a unified comprehensive strategy. Therefore, state governments and local municipal associations must be involved from the very beginning of the planning process. He viewed the current developments as the initial step toward a coordinated approach involving federal, state, and municipal leadership.