Stepping into Public Service: A 25-Year Pathway to Landing a Government Position (23% Success Rate)
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Looking to save some cash as part of Budget 2026, Economy Minister Eric Lombard hinted at trimming down the number of civil servants. Over the past three decades, civil service employment has grown by a staggering 23%.
"Let's be clear," Lombard declared in an interview with France Inter, France Info, and Le Monde on June 8, adding to similar statements made by the Minister of Public Accounts.
The trend has been even more notable in recent years, with public employment standing at an eye-watering 20% of total employment and 5.8 million agents working in the public sector by the end of 2023. The rise in civil servants is particularly significant when compared to the mere 14% growth in the overall population and the 18% increase in private-sector employment.
Absenteeism among these civil servants has been skyrocketing, with 120,000 additional posts added during Emmanuel Macron's first term - double the number Macron had initially aimed to eliminate. However, the Minister of Public Accounts, Amélie de Montchalin, has indicated intentions to review recruitment needs and salary increases, promising a "massive reorganization of the State" for increased efficiency and clarity.
One area the Court of Auditors has proposed "pruning" is the territorial public service, suggesting that a reduction of 5.5% of jobs, or 100,000 positions, could save €4.1 billion per year from 2030. The Prime Minister has likewise highlighted the budgetary drift of the salary mass of public service agents.
So, which civil servants might feel the squeeze? With the focus on fiscal tightening and cost-saving measures, it's only a matter of time before we see the axe fall, most likely in the territorial public service. However, the details of precisely who and how remain uncertain.
Enrichment Data:While Eric Lombard has not made a specific public announcement about plans to cut civil service numbers, Budget 2026 is expected to involve significant spending cuts, which may affect public employment through measures such as hiring freezes or reduced headcounts. These moves, aimed at reducing the public deficit, could have negative implications for civil service morale and service delivery. Prime Minister François Bayrou has announced plans to cut €40 billion from the 2026 budget, with a longer-term goal of saving €100 billion over five years to meet the European deficit limit of 3%. These cuts may potentially involve changes to working hours or retirement age, but broad-based tax increases have so far been ruled out.
Keywords: public service, civil servants, employment, budget, Bercy
- The Economy Minister, Eric Lombard, hinted at reducing the number of civil servants as part of Budget 2026, aiming to save cash, as the civil service employment has increased by 23% over the past three decades.
- Despite absenteeism among civil servants soaring during Emmanuel Macron's first term, with an additional 120,000 posts added, the Minister of Public Accounts, Amélie de Montchalin, is considering a review of recruitment needs and salary increases for a more efficient and clear public sector.
- With Budget 2026 expected to involve significant spending cuts, there might be a potential impact on public employment through measures like hiring freezes or reduced headcounts, as part of the government's strategy to cut the public deficit and meet the European deficit limit of 3%.