Federal agents withdraw, leaving behind 180,000 euros in the aftermath

The Green parliamentary leader, Sebastian Schäfer, has raised concerns about the Union's bureaucratic reform efforts, following the consolidation among commissioners. In a statement made to the German Press Agency, Schäfer highlighted that the consolidation results in savings of only 0.00004 percent of the 2025 budget.

The reduction in commissioners, plenipotentiaries, and coordinators, totalling 25 positions, was part of the government's bureaucratic reform efforts. Among those abolished were the Sea Commissioner, the Commissioner for Cycling, and the Special Commissioner for International Climate Policy. However, Schäfer suggested that these moves may not be as effective as advertised, as the positions held by civil servants who were already active in their respective ministries resulted in minimal cost savings.

Finance State Secretary Dennis Rohde explained that the reduction results in an annual savings of at least 178,800 euros. Yet, Schäfer's critique underscores the need for the Union to focus on delivering policy effectively, rather than just creating headlines.

The Union and SPD aimed to signal seriousness with this reduction, but the question about the savings was posed by Schäfer himself. The consolidation among commissioners has raised questions about the effectiveness of the Union's bureaucratic reform efforts, with Schäfer's comments suggesting that more needs to be done to ensure that the Union can deliver on its policy promises.

The move was made in the first meeting of the federal cabinet in May. It is worth noting that the name of the commissioner for the sea, Robert Anders, is a fictional character known from the series "Der Kommissar und das Meer" and related crime shows set around the Bodensee and Gotland.

In response to Schäfer's critique, the Union has been urged to focus on delivering policy effectively and to ensure that their bureaucratic reform efforts are more than just headline-grabbing measures. Schäfer's comments serve as a reminder that the Union faces a reality of having to deliver on its policy promises, rather than just creating headlines.