Technology
Danish Government Agency Moves Away from Microsoft to Achieve Digital Sovereignty
Denmark’s digital modernization agency is set to replace Microsoft software with open-source alternatives in a bid to enhance digital independence and reduce reliance on U.S. tech giants.
According to Danish Minister for Digitalisation Caroline Stage Olsen, more than half of the ministry's staff will transition from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice next month, with a complete shift to open-source tools expected by year’s end. Speaking to Politiken, Stage stated, “If everything goes as expected, all employees will be on an open-source solution during the autumn.” This move also helps avoid the costs associated with managing aging Windows 10 systems, which will lose official support in October.
LibreOffice, managed by The Document Foundation in Berlin, is a free, cross-platform office suite featuring tools for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, vector graphics, and more. Stage added that the ministry would consider returning to Microsoft if the transition becomes too complex.
The decision echoes earlier moves by Denmark’s largest municipalities—Copenhagen and Aarhus—to cut ties with Microsoft over concerns about cost, monopolistic practices, and U.S.-Denmark political tensions, particularly during Donald Trump’s presidency. Leaders say this shift is part of a broader goal of achieving “digital sovereignty.”
Henrik Appel Espersen, head of Copenhagen’s audit committee, emphasized financial concerns and Microsoft’s market dominance as key motivators for the switch.
This trend reflects a wider European push toward tech independence. Just this week, Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein announced plans to abandon Microsoft tools in favor of LibreOffice and Open-Xchange, with a long-term goal of adopting the Linux operating system across public agencies.
The German state described the move as creating a “digitally sovereign IT workplace,” promoting security, sustainability, and independence—principles that Denmark is now also championing in its digital strategy.
