Civil Service Ethics in Germany from an International Perspective – Between a Role Model and Latecomer

Christoph Demmke

doi:10.17573/cepar.2025.1.03

Authors

Christoph Demmke University of Vaasa, Finland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6589-3127

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17573/cepar.2025.1.03

Abstract

Purpose: The article evaluates how civil-service ethics are institutionalised and managed at federal level in Germany, and situates German practice within a broader European perspective. It addresses the conspicuous absence of empirical evidence on the effectiveness of ethics policies, despite the proliferation of governance indices.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The analysis draws on a 2025 EU survey on ethics policies in central public administrations. Twenty-six countries and all EU institutions contributed data, completing a seven-chapter, 59-question survey that covered rules, implementation, enforcement and emerging issues such as artificial-intelligence-related risks. Germany’s responses
are examined in detail and juxtaposed with international benchmarks for corruption, rule of law, good governance and impartiality.
Findings: Germany retains many “classical” bureaucratic features—lifetime tenure, hierarchical structures and a rule-oriented culture—yet scores consistently well on cross-national governance indicators. Fragmented responsibility and limited monitoring mean that hard evidence on policy effectiveness remains scarce, both in Germany and elsewhere. Nonetheless, the German system appears to deter misconduct effectively when compared with its European peers. New challenges linked to artificial intelligence, disclosure of interests and revolving-door movements are recognised, but comprehensive data and coordinated oversight mechanisms are still lacking.
Academic contribution to the field: The study provides one of the first systematic, data-driven assessments of civil-service ethics in Germany and enlarges the comparative evidence base for public-sector integrity research. It exposes methodological gaps in measuring ethics outcomes and underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches that integrate legal, organisational and behavioural perspectives.
Originality/Significance/Value: By combining a rare national case study with a unique EU-wide dataset, the article challenges the assumption that traditional, compliance-based systems are inherently obsolete. It demonstrates that Germany’s ostensibly old-fashioned model performs robustly in practice, while highlighting structural and informational deficits that must be addressed if ethics policies are to keep pace with technological and organisational change.

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