In the debate over civil‑servant salaries, North Rhine‑Westphalia (NRW) wants to keep the contested fictitious partner income but hints at possible adjustments.
“Most other states also calculate a fictitious spouse income” said NRW finance minister Marcus Optendrenk (CDU) to the “Neue Westfälische”. “The core issue isn’t the fictitious income itself, but the application process associated with it, according to the report”.
Since 2024, NRW has included a fictitious partner income of €538 in pay calculations. The figure raises an officer’s official salary on paper, even though no actual income is received. In most states, if a civil servant finds themselves without a spouse or partner who brings in additional income, they must file an objection. In NRW, however, they can submit an application instead-a measure Optendrenk describes as a social component.
“We will have to decide whether to keep this application in the new version of the law” he added. “The reality of people’s lives hasn’t changed. Usually, if someone doesn’t live alone, they live with others who also earn an income”.
During a parliamentary hearing in the NRW State Parliament, experts declared the law, in its current form, unconstitutional.
