Slashing Bureaucracy: 25 Positions Set to Disappear in New German Government
New Administration Proposed to Retain 25 Commissioners and Liaisons
In a bold move, the upcoming CDU-led federal government is rumored to axe more than 25 commissioners and coordinators from various government and ministerial departments. This decision is set to be made in the government's first meeting on Tuesday, as reported by "Politico" and "Süddeutsche Zeitung."
After the anticipated election of CDU head Friedrich Merz as federal chancellor on Tuesday morning, the first cabinet meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Following this, a joint dinner of the new cabinet will take place in the Federal Chancellery.
The proposed elimination includes several key positions, such as the special commissioner for international climate policy, the special envoy for migration agreements, and commissioners for goods traffic and logistics, rail traffic, the Western Balkans countries, aerospace, and information technology. The government does not intend to appoint a sea commissioner, either.
Reports also suggest that in the Foreign Office, the new government aims to scrap the posts of the ambassador for feminist foreign policy and the commissioner for human rights and global health. In the Ministry of Defense, Commissioner for planning the 'Zeitenwende' is set to be removed.
Currently, the German government has 43 of its own commissioners and coordinators. Future appointments of commissioners, special commissioners, and coordinators will require cabinet approval or an organizational decree from the federal chancellor, unless the position is legally mandated.
While the Coalition Agreement 2025 outlines broader reforms and restructuring efforts within the German federal government, specific details about the elimination of particular commissioner positions remain unclear. The search results do not directly mention these planned abolishments, but they do emphasize the government's intentions to streamline administration, cut bureaucratic redundancies, and improve overall efficiency through digitalization and AI.
- CDU
- CSU
- SPD
- Bureaucracy
- Reforms
- Digitalization
Sources: ntv.de, as/AFP
- The Commission has also been consulted on the following issues: the likelihood of reforms in the German federal government, particularly the slashing of bureaucracy, digitalization, and the abolishment of certain commissioner positions.
- The 'Zeitenwende' Commissioner in the Ministry of Defense is one of the positions scheduled for elimination, signifying a shift in the government's approach to certain policies and legislation.
- General news outlets report that WhatsApp groups are buzzing with political discussions about the CDU's plans to digitize governance and reduce bureaucratic redundancies, which are likely to be key drivers of the proposed reforms.
- The upcoming CDU-led federal government is expected to continue consultations with CSU, SPD, and the Commission on streamlining the administrative structure, potentially reducing the current number of 43 commissioners and coordinators within the government.
