The personnel council of the Federal Chancellery has issued a warning regarding the potential consequences of the planned staff reductions within the federal administration. The council stated in a letter to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD), and both the civil service associations, Beamtenbund and Verdi, that insufficient tariff frameworks are already leading to difficulties in refilling vacant positions and increasing staff turnover.
The coalition agreements between the Union and the Social Democrats stipulate that at least eight percent of positions in ministries, the Chancellery, federal agencies, and parliamentary administration must be cut by 2029. However, the personnel council cautions that the functions entrusted to employees are simultaneously becoming more complex due to advancements in digitalization, artificial intelligence, accessibility, and sustainability. Furthermore, the council argued that the existing regulations effectively create a “glass ceiling” in career development; while employees may assume more challenging tasks, this often fails to translate into better opportunities for advancement or higher pay. Consequently, the council is demanding a standardized, future-oriented evaluation of all professional duties across the country.
The Ministry of the Interior responded to the newspaper’s inquiries by stating that the personnel representation does not hold a “general political or tariff-political mandate” asserting that any suggestions must be determined at the negotiation table. Meanwhile, Christine Behle, Vice Chair of Verdi, dismissed the reduction plans as a “mistake”. She noted to the Handelsblatt that approximately 600,000 public service positions are currently unfilled, arguing that the public service is relatively underfunded when compared internationally.
