The Dutch government said Monday it aims to cut about 25,000 full-time central-government jobs by 2035, according to NOS, the Dutch public broadcaster, and Reuters. NOS reported that police and defence are exempt. Reuters described the target as around 20% of government jobs over the next decade, while NOS put it at about 16% of the roughly 160,000 full-time civil servants in the national government.
Bloomberg Government reported that the central government wants to save 900 million euros a year by 2027, rising to 3.5 billion euros from 2035, according to a government statement, with the job reductions spread over several years. Reuters reported the same 3.5 billion euro savings figure, equal to $3.9 billion.
On AI, Reuters said the government will present detailed plans for how the technology could help meet the goal by the first quarter of 2027. Bloomberg Government said the cabinet will present AI plans for working more productively early 2027 and framed the effort as an AI-led overhaul. NOS listed AI as one of several efficiency measures, alongside standardizing IT systems and scaling back facility services at ministries.
NOS reported that the plan, from State Secretary Van der Burg for a more effective government, does not yet say which departments would lose how many jobs. Implementation bodies such as UWV, IND and the tax authority are not exempt in advance, NOS said. Van der Burg acknowledged that working more efficiently alone would not be enough and that choices are needed about what government does less of or stops doing. The cabinet is also looking at scrapping advisory bodies, currently 28 councils and about 150 committees, and at reforming the Open Government Act, NOS reported.
Reuters noted that previous governments stated similar goals. It said about 46,500 new Dutch government jobs have been created since 2018, raising the workforce by 40%. NOS likewise reported that earlier cabinets also wanted to trim the civil service while the headcount kept growing, and that Van der Burg said this cabinet will follow through.
Sources
- Reuters via Yahoo Finance UK (Bart Meijer): Netherlands aims to cut around 20% of government jobs over next decade (October 26, 2026)
- Bloomberg Government (Patrick Van Oosterom): Dutch Government Plans to Cut 25,000 Jobs in AI-Led Overhaul (October 26, 2026; free excerpt only)
- NOS/ANP (Dutch): Kabinet wil 25.000 rijksambtenaren minder, politie en defensie uitgezonderd (October 26, 2026)