Dutch government proposes AI-linked workforce reduction
The Dutch government has proposed reducing its central-government workforce by about 25,000 full-time-equivalent positions by 2035 as part of a broader efficiency program that includes expanding the use of AI. The government aims to save €900 million by 2027 and €3.5 billion annually from 2035, while targeting a 20% productivity boost through AI. Other measures include simplifying or eliminating at least 500 regulations annually, sharing desks, selling surplus buildings, standardizing IT systems and consolidating procurement. Police and defense are exempt from the staffing reductions. Officials have not explained which jobs or services AI would affect, and the 25,000 figure is a proposed workforce reduction rather than a confirmed count of AI-driven layoffs. Detailed AI productivity plans are expected in the first quarter of 2027.
The proposal directly links AI adoption to a large public-sector restructuring, raising questions about whether automation can reduce costs without compromising service quality, accessibility, data protection and public trust.
- 25,000 Dutch government jobs will be cut by 2035, new plans say
- The Netherlands is looking to save €3.5 billion by 2035
- Selling off buildings, simplifying rules, and smaller desks will also contribute to the savings
The Dutch government has announced plans to phase out 25,000 jobs by 2035 in an effort to increase efficiency with the end goal of saving €3.5 billion ($3.9 billion), amounting to about 16% of the government’s total workforce.
According to plans laid out by Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Effective Government Eric van der Burg, the cuts will save €900 million ($1 billion) by 2027 while AI will deliver increased productivity to take up the additional workload.
"We cannot keep doing what we did," Van der Burg said. "That is why we are going to make sharp choices for a central government that really works: simpler, smarter and smaller."
Smaller desks and AI part of savings plans
The plans hope to deliver a 20% productivity boost by using AI to increase efficiency, while simultaneously reducing the total government workload by simplifying rules. To that end, the Dutch government also has a plan in place to scrap or simplify at least 500 rules a year.
But AI isn’t the only way the government is looking to reduce costs. New rules will see pairs of employees sharing a single desk, surplus buildings sold off, and IT systems standardized.
While police and defense jobs are not being affected by the cuts, permanent advisory councils and advisory committees are not. The government will release new targets for the number of advisory bodies later this year, with current numbers sitting at 28 and 150 respectively.
According to Bloomberg several motions - albeit voluntary motions - to increase productivity using AI have already been passed. These motions are a catalyst for the resulting job and spending cuts, according to Van der Burg.
The Dutch government has seen a record number of central government officials, peaking at 160,000 by the end of 2025 - a rise of 41% since 2018 according to Bloomberg.