ABSTRACT
This country report seeks to shed some light on recent changes in the machinery of government at the federal level (for more general overviews see Derlien, 1996; Klages and Löffler, 1996; Schröter and Wollmann, 1997 as well as Benz and Goetz, 1996 and Wollmann and Schröter, 2000). In particular, reform developments concerning the organisational structure of the federal administration, the introduction of new management techniques as well as changes in civil service numbers and regulations will be examined. In a first step, however, a brief sketch of the general framework of federal reform projects will prepare the ground for further analysis. The final section will look at the more political implications of change (or stability) by highlighting the relations between ministers and top bureaucrats, ministers and agencies, and parliament and the executive branch of government.
