The cabinet plans to reduce the central government workforce by about 25,000 full-time jobs by 2035, or roughly 16% of the approximately 160,000 full-time civil service posts, as part of a planned annual saving of €3.5 billion. State Secretary Eric van der Burg set out the plans in a letter to the House of Representatives.

Police and defence are excluded, while no allocation of cuts among ministries has yet been announced. Implementing bodies such as UWV, IND and the Tax Administration are not excluded in advance, although Van der Burg said reductions there would require simplifying or abolishing rules. The cabinet is also considering standardising ICT systems, using AI, cutting advisory bodies and committees, and reforming the Open Government Act; many of the proposals are intended to be developed within six months.