The German government’s newly launched “Just Do It” portal, designed to solicit citizen and business feedback on bureaucratic inefficiencies, has garnered over 12,400 submissions in its first four weeks, according to a spokesperson from the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs. Between December 12, 2025 and January 7, 2026, a total of 12,423 reports were filed, signaling a potentially significant, albeit still nascent, wave of public engagement.
Data indicates that slightly more than half of the submissions originated from individual citizens, while almost a quarter were attributed to businesses. A concerning trend revealed through the Ministry’s analysis is the prevalence of complaints pertaining to administrative processes – over 5,200 reports specifically addressed issues related to applications and official notifications. Another 1,000 requests centered around digitalization hurdles and approximately 850 concerned tax-related complexities.
Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger, of the CDU, framed the initial response as a “clear mandate” to accelerate bureaucratic relief measures, particularly focusing on areas where citizens perceive the greatest burdens. He touted the feedback as a “valuable basis” for targeted and effective bureaucracy reduction.
The portal, allowing citizens to directly report what they deem to be unnecessary or excessive bureaucratic procedures, was designed to inform prioritization efforts. However, critics are already questioning the practicality of translating this flood of submissions into concrete action. The sheer volume of reports, particularly those concerning generic processes like applications and tax compliance, raises doubts about the government’s capacity to meaningfully process and address each concern.
Furthermore, the reliance on citizen-supplied data for prioritization risks a potentially skewed focus, driven by vocal and potentially localized grievances rather than evidence-based assessments of systemic inefficiencies. The long-term success of “Einfach machen” will depend on the government’s ability to move beyond simply collecting data and implementing a transparent and accountable system for addressing the concerns raised and demonstrating tangible improvements in the ease of dealing with bureaucracy. The portal’s initial success, therefore, represents a challenge as much as an opportunity for the ruling coalition.
