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FDP initiative: breaking up the districts or necessary reform?
The FDP's push for administrative reform in Baden-Württemberg is causing discussions. District Administrator Pauli and the regional council criticize the plans.
FDP initiative: breaking up the districts or necessary reform?
On November 2, 2025, a new initiative by the FDP will cause heated debates in political Cologne. The state chairman Hans-Ulrich Rülke has presented an ambitious position paper that envisages the dissolution of the 44 urban and rural districts in Baden-Württemberg. Instead of the previous structures, large or regional districts are to be created in the future, which will take over the tasks of the existing regional associations. [schwarzwaelder-bote] reports on a broad discussion about this proposal, which comes in the context of the upcoming state election campaign less than five months before the elections in March 2026.
However, this reform idea is met with considerable rejection. District Administrator Günther-Martin Pauli is critical and emphasizes the indispensable role of the districts in the municipal structure at the grassroots level. He sees the need to strengthen not only the functionality of the administration, but also the responsibility of the local levels. Pauli calls for a comprehensive reform of the tasks and financing in this area.
Voices from the administration
The Tübingen regional council is also anything but enthusiastic about the FDP's proposals. Press spokeswoman Sabrina Lorenz emphasizes how important the authority is as a link between the state and the municipalities. Their broad distribution of tasks plays a central role, especially in crisis situations. The association director of the Neckaralb regional association, Dirk Seidemann, also points out that regional associations are primarily planning associations that work closely with the municipalities. According to him, transferring tasks to the districts could significantly increase the complexity and administrative burden.
Overall, resistance to the FDP plans is strong, and it remains to be seen whether the party can enter the state parliament despite the current election forecasts, which give it between five and seven percent.
Another topic that's getting a lot of attention right now is the influence of big tech companies like Google. These companies are also the focus of public discussions, not only because of their innovative strength, but also because of the challenges they bring with them. [Wikipedia] describes Google as a global player in technology, from powerful search engines to cloud-based services to artificial intelligence and more. The issues surrounding data protection, taxes and regulatory challenges are important not only for politics, but also for municipalities.
Amid these dynamics, it is clear that both municipal structures and global technology companies such as Google play a role in the reform and development of our social model. So there is a lot to do and the next steps could be crucial for how our regions are organized and managed.