Netherlands Plans to Cut 25,000 Civil Service Jobs by 2035 to Save €3.5 Billion
The Dutch government has announced a major public sector restructuring plan that aims to reduce approximately 25,000 full-time civil service positions by 2035. The initiative is designed to make government operations more efficient, simplify administrative procedures and reduce public spending. The government expects the measures to generate annual savings of €3.5 billion by 2035.
The proposal was announced on October 26, 2026, by State Secretary Eric van der Burg, who is responsible for government efficiency. The plan includes reducing staff numbers, cutting office space, reviewing advisory bodies and using digital technology, including artificial intelligence, to improve productivity.
The proposed reduction represents a substantial change for the Dutch central administration. However, the government has not yet specified exactly which departments will face the largest cuts or how individual positions will be eliminated.
Why the Dutch Government Is Planning Job Cuts
The Dutch government says its administrative system has become increasingly complicated because of excessive regulations, overlapping responsibilities and lengthy procedures. Officials argue that these problems increase costs and make it harder for citizens and businesses to obtain public services efficiently.
The government intends to create a smaller administration that can deliver services more effectively while reducing organisational expenses. According to the plan, ministries will need to examine which responsibilities remain necessary, where procedures can be simplified and whether certain tasks can be performed using fewer staff members.
The proposal follows a period of significant growth in public sector employment. The number of civil servants in the Netherlands increased considerably in recent years, prompting renewed debate about administrative efficiency and the cost of government.
State Secretary Eric van der Burg has argued that the government cannot continue operating in the same way while seeking substantial savings. He has called for changes to working methods, organisational structures and the number of rules governing public administration.
Target of 25,000 Fewer Full-Time Positions
The government aims to reduce its central civil service workforce by around 25,000 full-time equivalent positions over the coming years, with the target date set at 2035. Based on the reported workforce figure of approximately 160,000 full-time positions, the reduction would amount to roughly 16 per cent.
The government has not announced a uniform reduction across every department. Some organisations could face larger changes than others, depending on their responsibilities, staffing requirements and potential for efficiency improvements.
The proposal does not amount to an immediate dismissal of 25,000 employees. The authorities have not yet published a complete implementation plan explaining how the reductions will be achieved. Possible measures include reorganising departments, reducing the replacement of departing employees, limiting reliance on external contractors and introducing more efficient working systems.
Van der Burg has indicated that the government does not intend to impose a blanket hiring freeze. Instead, departments are expected to consider whether vacant positions need to be filled when employees leave.
The police and defence sectors are expected to be exempt from the proposed reductions. However, the precise impact on other departments, including agencies already facing heavy workloads, remains to be determined.
Government Seeks Annual Savings of €3.5 Billion
The job reduction forms part of a wider effort to reduce the cost of operating the Dutch central administration. The government aims to save approximately €900 million in 2027, with annual savings increasing to €3.5 billion from 2035.
The government plans to publish further details on how the savings will be distributed among departments. These decisions will be important because reducing staffing costs without weakening essential services could prove challenging.
Officials will need to determine which activities can be simplified, which responsibilities can be combined and which tasks may no longer be necessary. The government has indicated that efficiency measures alone may not deliver the entire savings target, meaning that some policy responsibilities could also be reconsidered.
The proposal therefore involves more than reducing the number of employees. It could lead to changes in the way public services are organised and how government departments allocate their resources.
Artificial Intelligence to Improve Productivity
Artificial intelligence is expected to play a role in the government's restructuring strategy. The administration intends to use digital tools and standardised information technology systems to reduce repetitive work and improve productivity.
Government departments increasingly rely on online services to provide information, process requests and communicate with citizens. Officials believe that better digital systems could reduce the need for some manual administrative tasks and allow employees to concentrate on more complex responsibilities.
The government plans to present more specific objectives and savings proposals for artificial intelligence in the first quarter of 2027. Until those details are published, the precise contribution of AI to the workforce reduction remains uncertain.
The use of AI in public administration also raises questions about accuracy, data protection and accountability. Government agencies will need to ensure that automated systems handle personal information securely and that citizens can obtain assistance when a digital service fails to resolve their problems.
Artificial intelligence may improve efficiency, but it cannot automatically replace every responsibility performed by public employees. The effectiveness of the plan will depend on the technology introduced, the quality of implementation and the nature of the services involved.
Office Space and Advisory Bodies to Be Reduced
The restructuring plan also targets government property and the number of advisory organisations. The government intends to move towards providing approximately one workstation for every two employees, reflecting the increased use of remote and flexible working arrangements.
Officials argue that many government offices are underused because employees frequently work from home. Reducing the number of workstations and disposing of surplus buildings could lower maintenance, energy and property costs.
The government also plans to reduce the number of permanent advisory councils and committees. The Netherlands currently has 28 permanent advisory councils and approximately 150 advisory committees, according to the government's announcement.
In addition, the administration intends to reduce the number of policy evaluations it conducts each year. Officials believe that reviewing fewer processes more strategically could reduce administrative workloads and help departments concentrate on important policy outcomes.
The specific organisations that will be affected have not yet been fully identified. Further decisions are expected as ministries assess which bodies and activities remain necessary.
Simplifying Regulations and Public Services
Reducing bureaucracy is another central part of the proposal. The government has committed to removing or simplifying at least 500 rules each year for citizens, professionals and businesses.
It is also examining whether to adopt a system under which ministries must demonstrate that existing regulations remain necessary. Under the proposed approach, rules that cannot be justified could be considered for removal.
The administration also wants citizens to experience government as a more unified service rather than having to navigate multiple departments independently. This could involve improving the secure exchange of information between public agencies so that people do not repeatedly have to provide information already held by the government.
However, easier data sharing will need to be supported by clear legal safeguards and appropriate privacy protections. The government plans to develop a legal framework for improving information exchange between public organisations.
What Happens Next
The Dutch government is expected to develop a longer-term plan for the future of the civil service, with further proposals anticipated within six months. More detailed decisions about the distribution of savings and departmental workforce reductions are expected through the budget process.
The success of the initiative will depend on whether the government can reduce expenditure while maintaining reliable public services. Lower staffing costs and simpler procedures could improve efficiency, but poorly planned reductions could also increase workloads and delays in essential government agencies.
For civil servants, the announcement signals a period of significant organisational change. For citizens and businesses, the intended outcome is a government that is easier to access, less complicated and more cost-effective.
The plan remains a long-term restructuring proposal rather than an immediate nationwide dismissal programme. Its final impact will become clearer as the government publishes departmental targets, AI implementation plans and details of how the savings will be achieved by 2035.
