Saxony: Prime Minister Kretschmer gives job guarantee - and demands efficiency

Dresden. Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has given the Free State's employees a virtual job guarantee. "Of course, no employee of the Free State of Saxony will have to worry about their job," the head of government now explains in an internal letter to employees.

Nevertheless, due to demographic developments and public expectations, the state must "impose more restrictions," the two-page letter continues. Kretschmer clearly wants to allay fears. At the same time, however, he also calls for greater efficiency.

The Minister-President is joining a debate that is gaining increasing momentum. The backdrop is the massive increase in jobs in the Free State of Bavaria in recent years. From 2016 to the end of 2024, the number increased by 10,693 to 96,491. Of these, approximately 32,000 are currently reserved for teachers and approximately 15,000 for the police.

In a first step, 382 positions currently tied up in various projects are to be eliminated by the end of 2026. Finance Minister Christian Piwarz (CDU) declared at the presentation of the new austerity budget that Saxony was embarking on a "personnel reduction path."

This path must be continued in the coming years: “Otherwise, personnel expenses will grow beyond our control.”

However, given the increase in recent years, the cuts appear too small. CDU parliamentary group leader Christian Hartmann would like to increase the pace: "I expect up to 10,000 jobs to be eliminated in the coming years."

The State Audit Office calls the development of the staffing levels “alarming in all essential respects”.

The three Saxon Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) are calling for a 15 percent reduction in the staffing plan – that would be around 14,500. Fabian Magerl, the managing director of the Leipzig Chamber of Industry and Commerce , describes the administration as oversized.

Fabian Magerl, Managing Director of the Leipzig Chamber of Industry and Commerce, is calling for genuine reduction in bureaucracy in the Free State's administrations. Business associations believe a 15 percent reduction in state staff is necessary.

Source: André Kempner

“With around a third of public sector employees set to retire by 2030, this is a historic opportunity to meaningfully modernise the state apparatus,” Magerl demands.

This discussion is being followed with concern in many offices and authorities. This is one of the reasons why Kretschmer is trying to calm the waters. In January, the Minister-President had already sent a similar letter to employees to prepare for the upcoming cuts . Now, three months later, Kretschmer admits in the latest letter: "Painful cuts in all areas are unavoidable in view of the budget deficit that needs to be balanced. The Free State of Saxony and its administration cannot be exempt from this."

Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has now written this letter to the state employees.

Source: Saxon State Chancellery

But the head of government is also pushing for greater administrative efficiency – despite all the job guarantees. "It's important to me to emphasize that the public service can only fulfill its tasks with fewer staff if these tasks and the enforcement effort are reduced and made more efficient through process optimization and digitalization," Kretschmer explains.

Therefore, a “comprehensive investigation” has been launched to determine how much staff is actually needed – and which tasks can possibly be dispensed with.

"We are putting our tasks and business processes to the test," Kretschmer announces. "Concentrating on what is possible and necessary does not allow for any restrictions on thinking and relies on new, innovative approaches."