Gisela Färber warns Germany cannot afford 130,000 new civil service roles

Financial scientist Gisela Färber has warned that the state cannot afford 130,000 new positions, citing concerns over rising pension costs.

Färber, an emeritus professor specializing in public finance, criticized the current structure of family allowances for civil servants. She noted that in North Rhine-Westphalia, a civil servant with four children can receive approximately 3,400 euros per month in family supplements, an amount she described as absurd because it can exceed the lowest base salaries.

To address this, Färber proposes abolishing these family supplements in favor of a minimum salary based on the precariousness threshold. This would ensure that civil servants maintain financial independence without needing to rely on social welfare services, while providing specific protections for cases involving illness or care requirements.