Recommendations of the Initiative for an Effective State
As part of an effort under the aegis of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the non-partisan “Initiative for an Effective State” has published its final report in book form. Institute Director Anne Röthel is one of roughly 50 experts in the fields of politics, administration, business, education, and science who contributed to the formulation of the proposals presented in the report.
“Our nation needs a program of reform that has the capacity not only to reduce bureaucracy but also to modernize the state comprehensively,” proclaims Frank-Walter Steinmeier in his foreword summarizing the objectives of the 35 presented recommendations. The book succeeds the March 2025 interim report that was released by the Initiative, which for its part was founded last summer by former federal ministers Thomas de Maizière and Peer Steinbrück, former President of the Federal Constitutional Court Andreas Voßkuhle, and manager and publisher Julia Jäkel. The initial reform recommendations have already received a great deal of public attention and were partially incorporated into the coalition agreement of the present German government. The final report contains concrete proposals for government action, including recommendations in the areas of legislation, federalism, digitalization, security, competitiveness, climate policy, education, and social affairs. As stated by the initiators, the recommendations should “serve as a compass for reform in turbulent times.”
Anne Röthel, who contributed her academic perspective to the working group “Conditions for successful societal change”, observes: “Contributing the private law perspective to this extraordinary initiative was a rewarding challenge. The recommendations that have been reached make clear the degree of rethinking that will be required in order to accomplish the necessary changes.” In Röthel’s view, trust will play a key role in this process. This applies dually: Not only must the state regain the trust of its citizens, it must also show them more trust.
Julia Jäkel, Thomas de Maizière, Peer Steinbrück, Andreas Voßkuhle (eds.), Initiative für einen handlungsfähigen Staat, Herder, Freiburg 2025, 160 S. (in German)
Photograph: © Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law