The Dutch cabinet has announced plans to remove 25,000 full-time jobs by 2035, reducing its workforce by 16 per cent. The job cuts are part of a wider effort to lower costs. The government also intends to use artificial intelligence, or AI, to help staff work more productively.
The government aims to reduce costs by €900 million by 2027, with the savings target rising to €3.5 billion by 2035. However, not all government organisations will face cuts. Police and defence services are excluded from the measures.
During the first quarter of 2027, the cabinet plans to set goals for using AI to improve productivity. It will also develop savings plans linked to the technology. This work forms part of the government's broader effort to change how it operates.
In a letter to the Dutch parliament, State Secretary Eric van der Burg described the aim as a smaller government that works in simpler, smarter ways. AI projects already exist across several areas of government, and he wants the technology to be used more widely. Dutch news outlets had reported earlier in the year that AI would form part of the government's cost-saving plans.
