German state decides to move away from Microsoft to Linux and LibreOffice

The northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein has made a noteworthy move towards utilizing open-source software, declaring its intention to switch 30,000 government computers from Microsoft Windows and Office 365 to Linux and LibreOffice (along with other open-source software). This decision comes after a successful trial in the area, and in light of the European Commission’s recent finding that the use of Microsoft 365 violates data protection regulations.

The local government’s primary objective in making this change is to decrease the expenses related to licensing Microsoft’s suite of products. Additionally, they aim to ensure data sovereignty by not transferring personal data outside of the EU or EEA, and by promoting the use of the Open Document Format (ODF), they can maintain compatibility with other platforms and applications.

The full announcement (in German) can be found on the region’s homepage at https://www.schleswig-holstein.de/DE/landesregierung/ministerien-behoerden/I/Presse/PI/2024/CdS/240403_cds_it-arbeitsplatz.html. Despite this, the Minister-President expressed the following statement:

Independent, sustainable, secure: Schleswig-Holstein will be a digital pioneer region and the first German state to introduce a digitally sovereign IT workplace in its state administration. With a cabinet decision to introduce the open-source software LibreOffice as the standard office solution across the board, the government has given the go-ahead for the first step towards complete digital sovereignty in the state, with further steps to follow.

This announcement could serve as an example for other governing bodies to move away from Microsoft’s suite, and it is expected that all attention will be on the transition to observe its success. Although LibreOffice offers a familiar design and interface for long-time users of Microsoft’s products, there may be some variations that will necessitate training and education for users of these computers, whether in administrative roles or in public spaces like libraries.

Currently, the local government is unable to find open-source alternatives for certain Microsoft products, including Microsoft Active Directory. As a result, they are seeking to create and implement an open-source directory service to eventually replace it.

The Document Foundation reports that a German state will be transitioning 30,000 computers to LibreOffice.