Goodbye, Microsoft: Schleswig-Holstein Relies on Open Source and Saves Millions

Summary

The state administration of Schleswig-Holstein is making a remarkable U-turn in its IT strategy and consistently relying on open source. After the migration from proprietary Microsoft software to free solutions was initially accompanied by problems and criticism, Digitalization Minister Dirk Schrödter (CDU) can now report a significant success: According to his ministry, the state will save over 15 million euros in license costs for Windows, Microsoft Office & Co. next year alone. It is expected to be similar in the following years. In contrast, there would be one-time investments of nine million euros in 2026, explained the Ministry of Digitalization to the Kieler Nachrichten. These would have to be made for the conversion of workplaces and the further development of solutions with free software in the next 12 months. Given the annual savings, this sum will pay for itself in less than a year. In the past, the state transferred millions to the US company Microsoft, primarily for the use of office software and other programs. The department sees the departure from this "vendor lock-in" – the dependence on a single large provider – as a clear signal for greater independence and sustainable digitalization. The financial incentive now underscores that digital sovereignty can be not only a political buzzword but also an economic gain. Almost 80 percent of licenses canceled The numbers speak for themselves: outside the tax administration, almost 80 percent of workplaces in the state administration have already been switched to the open-source office software LibreOffice. Schrödter thus confirms a course that reduces technical and economic dependence on individual manufacturers. The consequence of the conversion was already evident recently, as Schrödter emphasized in an interview with c't. Regarding the status of Microsoft license cancellations, he said: "We are at almost 80, without the tax administration." For tax matters, the state finance ministers have "given themsel...