Netherlands Targets 25,000 Fewer Civil-Service Posts in Efficiency Drive

The Dutch government plans to reduce its civil-service workforce by an estimated 25,000 full-time positions over several years, tying the cuts to a broad efficiency drive that includes wider use of AI. The government says it will save €900 million in 2027, rising to €3.5 billion annually from 2035. Its announcement says detailed goals and savings plans for using AI to raise productivity are due in the first quarter of 2027; the reductions are not presented as AI-only cuts.