Central government jobs grow 46% in ten years
The national government is the fastest-growing branch of Dutch government and its staffing costs have almost doubled, while the cabinet wants to spare defence and the police from cuts.
The number of full-time jobs at the national government has grown by 46% in ten years, from 110,000 in 2016 to 160,000 in 2025. That makes central government the fastest-growing branch of government.
Staffing costs of the national government have almost doubled since 2017.
Of the 160,000 jobs, 112,000 are at national implementing organisations such as the Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) and Rijkswaterstaat, the national roads and waterways agency.
Municipalities and provinces have also grown considerably over the past ten years. Defence and the police, which the current cabinet wants to spare from cuts, grew less.
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Belastingdienst
The Belastingdienst is the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration, the national implementing organisation that handles taxes for the Netherlands. It assesses and collects income tax, VAT and other taxes, processes tax returns, and levies customs duties on goods entering or leaving the country. Most people in the Netherlands deal with it directly when filing their annual tax return or paying taxes.
Rijkswaterstaat
Rijkswaterstaat is the Dutch national agency, part of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, that manages the country's main infrastructure and water system. It builds, maintains and manages the national motorways and main roads, the major waterways and locks, and the primary flood defences such as dikes and storm surge barriers. It is a central part of how the Netherlands handles water management and transport.