ABSTRACT
This chapter provides insight into the German response to the crisis, applied austerity measures focusing especially on the cutback management at both levels and how Germany achieved its path to fiscal consolidation. It analyses how far cutbacks and the consequences of the crisis have led to broader changes in public management reforms and structural changes. Due to the specific German federal structure, the chapter examines important variations between the government levels and across the Lander. It traces the economic conditions prior to the crisis, the stages of the crisis and the recovery phase. The chapter turns to a more in-depth analysis of austerity measures and cutback management on both government levels also shedding light on cutback delegation dynamics. It discusses the consequences of cutbacks on public management in the context of broader reform trajectories. The chapter focuses on Germany's ongoing role as 'maintainer' in terms of public management reform.
