Bundesinnenminister Alexander Dobrindt blocked a proposed salary increase for top civil servants that would have raised Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s annual pay by 65,292 euros (about 60,800 US dollars), despite having initially endorsed the plan.
How the salary hike moved through government channels
On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry published a draft law on its website and sent it to other ministries for comment, following standard procedure that requires prior approval from the Chancellery and Finance Ministry during early coordination.
Sources confirm that Dobrindt had first approved the increase, after which Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and Chancellor Merz gave their assent during the interministerial review process.
What the draft would have changed for public sector pay
Senior state secretaries in pay grade B11 would have seen their salaries jump by nearly 40,000 euros per year — a 20 percent increase — while mid-level civil servants were slated for raises closer to ten percent.
Why ministers would have benefited directly
Under the Ministerial Salary Act, cabinet ministers’ pay is legally tied to that of senior state secretaries, meaning the planned increase would have raised ministers’ annual salaries by 52,236 euros (about 48,600 US dollars) and the chancellor’s by 65,292 euros.
The timing and political context of the reversal
The Interior Ministry’s reversal came only after BILD inquired about the draft on Thursday, with a spokesperson stating the increase no longer matched “intended regulations” and the law would need reworking.
How responsibility is being shifted within the coalition
When questioned, the Chancellery said early coordination only reviews matters of “fundamental political significance,” deferring further scrutiny to the Interior Ministry, while the Finance Ministry insisted the draft was solely the Interior Ministry’s responsibility.
What this signals about government priorities amid fiscal strain
<!– wp:paragraph /> wp:paragraph>With the 2027 federal budget facing a 34 billion euro shortfall and 80 percent of citizens dissatisfied with the government according to a recent Forsa poll, the proposed raise — exceeding Germany’s median annual salary of 54,066 euros — was seen as a politically tone-deaf move even before it was halted.
/wp:paragraph –> <!– wp:heading>Why did Dobrindt reverse course after initially supporting the increase?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>The Interior Ministry has not provided an explanation, stating only that the increase did not align with intended regulations and the draft must be reworked.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Who approved the draft before it was sent to other ministries?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Dobrindt approved the draft first, followed by Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and Chancellor Friedrich Merz during the early coordination phase involving the Chancellery and Finance Ministry.
/wp:paragraph>–>
