Dortmund Mayor Alexander Kalouti vows austerity to city staff

Mayor Alexander Kalouti addressed roughly 3,400 municipal employees at a personal assembly in Dortmund’s Westfalenpark on 16 July. He warned that the city will face “no easy years” and announced a target of saving at least €125 million annually. While education and infrastructure will be protected, the administration will be modernised and digitised, with Kalouti urging staff to help reshape structures and cut “old ropes”. Employees voiced concerns about increased workload, safety in facilities and the impact of the cuts on daily operations. The meeting also highlighted issues with the city’s use of artificial‑intelligence tools in handling citizen appeals, and reports of physical and psychological violence in certain childcare centres were discussed. Kalouti left details of specific savings unspecified, emphasizing the need for collective effort to keep Dortmund’s finances stable.