The Dutch government intends to remove a total of 25,000 civil service positions over the coming years as part of an efficiency programme built around artificial intelligence (AI), Bloomberg reported. According to a government statement, the proposal will be submitted early next year.
Expected savings and timeline
The measures are projected to save €900 million per year by 2027 and €3.5 billion annually from 2035. The savings are to come from introducing AI-supported processes, simplifying regulations, and reorganising central government structures.
Government rationale and objectives
Eric van den Burg, State Secretary for Government Efficiency, said in the government statement: “We cannot continue to do what we have been doing.” The government argues that excessive rules, exceptions and procedures unnecessarily complicate problem solving; they plan to simplify or remove these and to make central administration more effective. Van den Burg said hard decisions will be taken to create a central government that is “simpler, smarter and smaller.”
Staffing levels and fiscal context
The government noted that the number of Dutch public servants rose to 160,000 by the end of 2025, a 41 percent increase compared with 2018. This rise occurred despite earlier cabinets having promised staff cuts.
At the same time, the Netherlands’ fiscal position remains relatively strong: the government’s budget deficit stands at 1.8 percent, one of the lowest rates in the European Union. Nevertheless, the long-term fiscal outlook and the growing size of the public workforce continue to cause concern in fiscally conservative Dutch policy circles.
Why it matters
The plan combines technological change with organisational reform: alongside AI tools, lawmakers plan regulatory and administrative simplification that could fundamentally alter public-sector roles. The decision will affect not only civil service headcount but also the structure of public services and how government operates.
