Danish government agency to ditch Microsoft software in push for digital independence

Denmark’s tech modernization agency plans to replace Microsoft products with open-source software to reduce dependence on U.S. tech firms.

In an interview with the local newspaper Politiken, Danish Minister for Digitalisation Caroline Stage Olsen confirmed that over half of the ministry’s staff will switch from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice next month, with a full transition to open-source software by the end of the year.

“If everything goes as expected, all employees will be on an open-source solution during the autumn,” Politiken reported, quoting Stage. The move would also help the ministry avoid the expense of managing outdated Windows 10 systems, which will lose official support in October.

LibreOffice, developed by the Berlin-based non-profit organization The Document Foundation, is available for Windows, macOS, and is the default office suite on many Linux systems. The suite includes tools for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, vector graphics, databases, and formula editing. Stage said that the ministry could revert to Microsoft products if the transition proves too complex.

Microsoft had not responded to Recorded Future News' request for comment as of Friday morning, Eastern U.S. time.

The ministry’s decision follows similar moves by Denmark’s two largest municipalities, Copenhagen and Aarhus, which previously announced plans to abandon Microsoft software, citing financial concerns, market dominance and political tensions with Washington. Proponents refer to the process as moving toward “digital sovereignty.”

Henrik Appel Espersen, chair of Copenhagen’s audit committee, told Politiken the move was driven by cost concerns and Microsoft’s strong grip on the market. He also cited tensions between the U.S. and Denmark during Donald Trump’s presidency, which sparked debate about data protection and reducing reliance on foreign technology.

The shift comes amid a wider European trend toward digital independence. This week, the German state of Schleswig-Holstein said that local government agencies will abandon Microsoft Office tools such as Word and Excel in favor of LibreOffice, while Open-Xchange will replace Microsoft Outlook for email and calendar functions. The state plans to complete the shift by migrating to the Linux operating system in the coming years.

Schleswig-Holstein first announced its decision to abandon Microsoft last April, saying it would be “the first state to introduce a digitally sovereign IT workplace.” “Independent, sustainable, secure: Schleswig-Holstein will be a digital pioneer region,” the state’s Minister-President said at the time.