France Moves Away From US Tech, Drops Windows, Turns To Linux For Public Administration

In a significant shift aimed at boosting digital sovereignty and reducing reliance on American technology, France is moving away from Microsoft Windows and adopting Linux-based operating systems across segments of its public administration, according to a report by TechCrunch.

The decision, formalised at an interministerial seminar on Wednesday, comes after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu directed efforts to curb “extra-European” digital dependencies and strengthen national sovereignty.

French minister David Amiel said the initiative is aimed at helping the country “regain control of our digital destiny” by cutting reliance on U.S. tech firms. He emphasised that the government can no longer tolerate a lack of control over its data and digital systems.

No clear timeline has been announced for the transition, nor have officials specified which Linux distributions will be adopted. The rollout is expected to begin with systems used by the government’s digital agency, DINUM.

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.

Across Europe, efforts to strengthen digital sovereignty have been gaining momentum, with policymakers seeking to reduce reliance on both American and Chinese technology. Growing concerns over technological dependence have pushed lawmakers to identify critical vulnerabilities.

Earlier this year, the European Parliament passed a report urging the European Commission to pinpoint areas where such reliance can be reduced.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in February, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen underscored the importance of autonomy, stating, “I want to be very clear: our digital sovereignty is our digital sovereignty.”

She added, “We have a long tradition in freedom of speech. Actually, the Enlightenment started on our continent.”

EU Pushback Against Trump Tariffs

The developments also come amid tensions with the United States, where President Donald Trump has used tariffs and other measures to pressure European nations to ease regulations on American tech companies.

In December 2025, the US State Department barred five Europeans from entering the country, alleging their involvement in efforts to push tech firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints.

Among those targeted was former European Commissioner Thierry Breton.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the individuals had led “organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose.”

He added, “These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states – in each case targeting American speakers and American companies.”

What Is Linux?

First developed by Linus Torvalds in 1991, Linux is a Unix-based, open-source operating system used across computers, servers, mobile devices and many other platforms. In contrast to Microsoft Windows, which has faced criticism in recent years over bloatware and inefficiency, Linux continues to be widely favoured by developers and powers a large portion of the internet.

The operating system is freely available and comes in multiple customised distributions, each designed for specific use cases and operational needs.

Globally, several countries have been working towards building operating systems independent of US technology. In 2023, China introduced its first homegrown open-source desktop OS, OpenKylin, which is based on Linux. Developed by a community of around 4,000 contributors, the system is being used in sectors such as the space programme, finance, and energy.