Schleswig-Holstein plans mandatory digital citizen account by 2028

The state government of Schleswig-Holstein plans to make a digital citizen service account mandatory starting in 2028 as part of the Digitalization Acceleration Act. The initiative aims to streamline communication between citizens and the administration.

However, welfare associations have expressed significant concerns regarding the plan. Boy Büttner of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband Schleswig-Holstein criticized the approach, arguing that digital services should win users over through quality rather than through compulsion. Critics warn that mandating digital services before they are user-friendly could exclude people who struggle with registration or digital interfaces. They suggest that a single, easy-to-use account should be offered as a voluntary service to ensure equitable access rather than replacing existing methods with a ‘digital only’ requirement.