Why are they so decisive — and why do we still listen to them so rarely?

When digitising government is discussed in Germany, the spotlight usually falls on the federal government and the states: big programmes, strategies, platforms. That’s important — no question. And yes: European requirements are also necessary to harmonise digital functions across national borders.

But who actually implements all of it in the end? Municipalities.

They’re the ones who shape real everyday life. And yet they get far too little of a voice in debates, expert panels, and the media. Even though it’s often exactly their voices that are the most realistic.

What makes municipalities so decisive:

1. Closeness to people

They experience everyday life, the frustrations, the successes. They know which hurdles exist — and what really matters.

2. Real diversity

From residents’ registration to social services to building permits: municipalities cover almost every life situation. They know that “one-size-fits-all” rarely works — and where pragmatic solutions are possible.

3. Implementation instead of paper strategy

Digitisation only becomes real when processes are changed, staff trained, and systems integrated. Municipalities know what that takes — and where strategy and reality drift apart.

So let’s please listen to them better.

Where do you see the biggest gap between strategy at the federal level and reality in municipalities?

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

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