Munich (dpa/lby) – 50 years ago, Bavaria halved the number of its districts to 71. The Ministry of the Interior does not see any need for reform of the current municipal structures in the near future, but is relying on close cooperation between the municipalities. When asked, a spokesman said: “Even in regions where the population is declining, the citizens living there have a right to the services of a well-functioning and easily accessible administration in can claim.”
Although the digitization of administration offers new opportunities, the creation of larger administrative units is not a panacea. “Instead, the state government considers the further intensification of inter-municipal cooperation to be a forward-looking strategy.” Especially for rural areas, close cooperation offers new opportunities in view of limited financial resources. “By municipalities working together across municipal boundaries, they can provide better, more diverse and resource-efficient services.”
On July 1, 1972, the districts in the Free State were reorganized, followed later by the municipalities, their number fell from around 7,000 to around 2,000.
