Updates on Schleswig-Holstein moving to LibreOffice

Nearly a year ago, we posted about the German state of Schleswig-Holstein’s plan to move 30,000 PCs from Microsoft Office/365 to LibreOffice.

Now, Stephane Fermigier from EuroStack – which promotes European technological sovereignty and open source – has posted an update, citing an article in the German c’t Magazin. It discusses various reasons for the migration to LibreOffice and Linux, including:

• Digital Sovereignty – Schleswig-Holstein is actively reducing its dependence on a single, non-European tech giant
• Public Money, Public Code – Improvements made to open source software, like accessibility enhancements to LibreOffice, are available to the public
• Public Procurement as a Lever – Schleswig-Holstein is not only improving its own IT infrastructure but also sending a strong signal to the market, potentially encouraging other public administrations to follow suit

In Fermigier’s post he also points to a recent talk from the LibreOffice Conference 2024 in Luxembourg (see below – video also available on PeerTube). Meanwhile, Dirk Schrödter, Head of the State Chancellery of Schleswig-Holstein, posted some thoughts on LinkedIn, including:

This is not just about technological independence but also about economic aspects. At present, our administrations and businesses are trapped in a system characterized by monopolistic structures and high licensing fees. […] It is a core responsibility of our state to be able to influence the operational processes of its IT systems at all times and to ensure the data security of its citizens and businesses. […] The necessary conclusion can only be: Open Source software must become the standard in our digitalized administration.