The German Civil Service Union (DBB) estimates that the state currently lacks 631,000 employees required to properly fulfill its tasks. This figure, reported by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, was derived from the union’s annual survey of its 41 member unions, which was an increase from the 600,000 missing public service staff reported the previous year.
The DBB identifies specific urgent areas, including healthcare and elderly care (125,200 positions), schools (120,000 positions), and local administrations (112,000 positions). Additionally, the union is calling for 92,000 more individuals for the police and the Bundeswehr.
Volker Geyer, the DBB’s Federal Chairman, explained to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that this staffing shortage is partly due to vacancies going unfilled when staff members retire. He noted that the changing security environment further necessitates more police personnel, citing the highly resource-intensive nature of monitoring new weapons ban zones as an example.
Shifting to political matters, Geyer criticized the proposals of AfD top candidate Ulrich Siegmund regarding potential state administration openings in Saxony-Anhalt. Siegmund suggested filling between 150 and 200 positions if the AfD won the state election, a number Geyer found “baffling.” However, Geyer warned that the DBB would resist any attempt to illegally force civil servants out of their posts.
The DBB Federal Chairman also voiced his skepticism regarding personnel debates within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He expressed his dislike for constantly discussing the Federal Chancellor’s performance. Instead, he maintained a clear expectation that the current government must ensure the future sustainability of social security systems, stimulate greater economic growth, and renovate infrastructure-criteria upon which he would judge the Chancellor. Although affiliated with the CDU, Geyer further criticized the government’s pension commission for proposing partial cuts to civil service pensions.
