The German government’s recently approved modernization agenda is eliciting a mixed reception, highlighting both potential benefits and concerns about its implementation.
Hendrik Wüst, Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, has voiced his support, stating that the agenda possesses “enormous potential” to invigorate the economy and enhance citizen-friendliness in public administration. He suggested the initiative targets areas within the German bureaucracy prone to generating excessive bureaucracy, hoping to instill a “fresh spirit” fostering efficiency, transparency and renewed public trust. Wüst emphasized the necessity of close cooperation between the European Union, the federal government, states and municipalities to achieve substantial modernization. He acknowledged that greater efficiency would likely require standardization and a degree of centralization, particularly to capitalize on digitalization opportunities and expressed willingness to discuss responsibility and competencies.
The Association of German Cities and Municipalities (DStGB) has urged a more accelerated pace of reform. While acknowledging the initial steps outlined, André Berghegger, Managing Director stated that streamlining certain tasks, such as centralizing vehicle registration, is merely the beginning. He advocated for consistent relief measures and the full implementation of a “digital only” approach for administrative processes, believing this would avoid the costly parallel maintenance of digital and analog systems, boosting efficiency and freeing up resources.
However, concerns have been raised regarding planned workforce reductions within the agenda. Frank Werneke, leader of Ver.di, a public sector union, criticized the proposals for potential staff cuts, arguing that they overlook the crucial role of public sector employees. He highlighted the current significant shortage of public sector positions (approximately 600,000 unfilled positions) and the accumulation of overtime (over 140 million hours). Werneke refuted the notion that digitalization inherently necessitates workforce reduction, asserting that sufficient personnel is essential for successfully implementing digital initiatives. He emphasized that modernization fundamentally relies on motivated and engaged employees, dismissing the idea that technological advancements alone are sufficient.
