© dpa
The administrative reform in Berlin, one of the central projects of the black-red Senate, is entering the home straight.
Following a legislative package launched in December, agreement has now also been reached on targeted constitutional amendments, according to the State Secretary for Administrative Modernization, Martina Klement.
She assumes that the final green light will be given at a top-level meeting between the Senate, districts and parliamentary groups this Friday in the town hall. According to Klement, the state constitution will more clearly define when the Senate may intervene in district affairs. It will also be stipulated that the districts must be involved in Senate planning at an earlier stage and in a more binding manner.
All tasks of the Berlin administration are presented in a uniform catalog, which so far comprises around 4,500 points and is not yet complete. This also requires a constitutional amendment. Finally, the so-called connexity principle is to be anchored in the constitution: This means that the Senate must provide the necessary funds for tasks that the districts have to perform.
The aim of the administrative reform is to clearly regulate the distribution of responsibilities between the Senate and districts. This should put an end to the often lamented "authority ping-pong" in Berlin, i.e. the shifting of responsibilities back and forth between different parts of the administration. Authorities should focus more on the needs of citizens, but also on the needs of businesses, for example.
In December, the Senate had already introduced a legislative package with a state organization law. According to Klement, the package has since been coordinated again with the district mayors and Senate administrations. The Senate is expected to make the final decision on April 1 and pass it on to the House of Representatives. There, the first reading is planned before Easter and adoption after the second reading "ideally" before the summer break. The reform is set to take full effect from January 1, 2026.
Klement assumes that not all processes will improve at the touch of a button. "It is and will remain a mammoth task." Many things will develop step by step, and a cultural change in the administration is also necessary. "The project is more than necessary, especially in view of the budget situation," continued Klement. More efficient structures could also help to save costs.
Several senates have tried to reform the administration in recent decades, but ultimately failed due to too much resistance. The governing mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) declared the project a top priority after taking office in 2023. In addition to the districts and the coalition parties, he also closely involved the Greens and the Left Party in the preparatory process for the reform. The coalition of CDU and SPD needs at least one of the two opposition parties for the desired constitutional changes, as this requires a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives.