It depends on what we mean by "administration". Are we talking about public service or purely administrative posts? But in any case, it is when we need it that we realise that, as a result of reductions and other budgetary restrictions, the expected services can no longer be provided (whether in terms of health, security (see perhaps Crans-Montana), etc.).

Gone are the days when civil servants in administrations and public services arriving late would pass those leaving early. There are always a few black sheep, but as in all sectors (private or public). And the result of all the cuts or transfers to the private sector always come back to the same pattern: marginalisation of disadvantaged classes, elderly people for the benefit of those with the most means...

We are talking about public administration, not just federal administration.

I am pursuing a construction project; the municipality has only limited power and all cantonal civil servants only check whether I have filled in the right boxes on the forms. For each department to do this handling work, it took one year. At this level, there are useless people who, whatever happens, will be responsible for nothing.

A colleague was unemployed. The procedures and appointments imposed by the regional employment offices (ORP) are 100% useless, as is the occupation programme. Worse than that, she took a retraining course in another sector, and they reduced her benefit for the days she was in training, which unemployment benefit does not even cover. Let's give people their due and stop hassling them.

Education deserves to recover the posts freed up above.

Reallocating available resources differently instead of increasing the number of civil servants should be possible.