Overview
- The Deutscher Richterbund said Saturday that Germany lacks roughly 2,000 prosecutors and that North Rhine‑Westphalia alone is short by more than 500 posts.
- The association reported that three investigators are often doing the work of four, which is lengthening criminal proceedings and leading to more small cases being discontinued.
- Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig previously promised about €500 million over four years for new posts and digital tools and the federal government pledged €70 million a year for 2027–2029, but several states say this funding is too limited.
- Hesse’s Minister‑President Boris Rhein has warned he will reject short‑term federal offers that leave states with long‑term salary bills, and the Richterbund has demanded clear political decisions before the summer recess.
- Responsibility for pay lies with the states while the federal government can only offer time‑limited money, so if talks fail backlogs could grow and enforcement of priorities such as tax‑fraud cases may be weakened despite planned digitalisation measures.