In the summer of 2025, Denmark’s government put forward a major policy change in its digital infrastructure: moving away from using Microsoft Office 365, and in part, open-source its operations with LibreOffice. Below is an original account of what this entails, why it matters, how it’s being done, and what the risks and opportunities are.
What’s Changing and What’s Not
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The Danish Ministry of Digital Affairs has committed to replacing Microsoft Office 365 with LibreOffice.
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Earlier reports said that Windows would also be entirely swapped-out for Linux, but those reports have since been corrected: Windows will remain in use on many devices for now.
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For LibreOffice, the adoption is being phased: about half of the ministry’s employees will begin using LibreOffice (and possibly Linux in some instances) in the summer months; the rest are expected to transition by autumn.
Why Denmark Is Making This Move
Digital Sovereignty & Dependence
A primary driver is the concern over reliance on large foreign tech companies, especially suppliers based outside Europe. By reducing dependency on proprietary software controlled by corporations abroad, Denmark aims to gain more control over its data, security, and updates.
Cost and Licensing
Proprietary software comes with licensing fees, recurring costs, and often tied contracts. Adopting open-source alternatives like LibreOffice can potentially reduce those long-term expenditures.
Security, Transparency, Flexibility
Open-source software tends to allow more auditability, quicker patching, and the ability to adapt tools or software behavior to specific local or regulatory requirements.
Implementation Plan & Timeline
| Phase | What happens | Approximate Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Begin by moving about 50% of Ministry of Digital Affairs employees to LibreOffice (and in selected cases, using Linux tools) | Summer 2025 (mid-year) |
| Phase 2 | Full transition of the ministry’s office productivity tasks away from Microsoft Office 365 to LibreOffice | Autumn 2025 |
“Full” here is understood in the scope of office productivity tools (word processing, spreadsheets, slides, etc.), not necessarily replacing all legacy systems or moving everything off Windows.
Challenges & Concerns
While the vision is ambitious, there are several hurdles:
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