- France will replace Windows with Linux on government computers to boost digital sovereignty
- The shift starts with the Interministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs (DINUM) and other agencies
- Each ministry must create a plan by fall to reduce reliance on non-European digital suppliers
In a move aimed at enhancing the country's digital sovereignty, France has announced its decision to move government workstations away from Windows to the open-source operating system (OS), Linux. Formalised during an interministerial seminar on Wednesday (Apr 8), this move follows a directive from Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to reduce 'extra-European' digital dependencies and enhance national sovereignty.
The switchover will begin with computers at the French government's Interministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs (DINUM), according to a report in TechCrunch. Joining the DINUM in this mission for digital sovereignty are France's Directorate General for Enterprises (DGE), the National Cybersecurity Agency of France (ANSSI), and the State Procurement Directorate (DAE).
"Regarding the evolution of the workstation, DINUM announces its exit from Windows in favor of workstations running on the Linux operating system," read the official statement.
"The DINUM will coordinate an interministerial plan to reduce dependence on non-European suppliers. Each ministry (including operators) will be required to formalise its own plan by the fall, focusing on the following areas: workstations, collaborative tools, antivirus software, artificial intelligence, databases, virtualisation, and network equipment."
French minister for civil service and state reform David Amiel said the initiative was aimed at regaining "control of our digital destiny" by relying less on US tech companies. He said the French government can no longer accept not having control over its data and digital infrastructure.
The decision comes in the backdrop of the French government announcing in January that it would stop using Zoom and Microsoft Teams for video conferencing in favour of French-made Visio, a tool based on the open source end-to-end encrypted video meeting tool Jitsi.
What Is Linux?
Created by Linus Torvalds in 1991, Linux is an open-source OS based on Unix that runs on computers, servers, mobile phones and a wide range of other devices. While Windows has come under intense scrutiny in recent years for its massive bloatware and inefficiency, Linux remains the preferred choice for developers, with the OS powering the majority of the internet.
Linux is free to download and use, with various customised distributions that are tailored and designed for specific use cases or operations.
Developing an operating system independent of US technology has been an important goal for several countries around the globe. In 2023, China released its first homegrown open-source desktop operating system, named OpenKylin, based on the Linux OS. China's version was built by a community of about 4,000 developers, and is used in its space programme and industries such as finance and energy
