France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech

France is moving connected from Microsoft Windows. The state said it plans to determination its authorities computers presently moving Windows to the open-source operating strategy Linux to further trim its reliance connected U.S. technology.

Linux is an open-source operating strategy that is escaped to download and use, with assorted customized distributions that are tailored and designed for circumstantial usage cases oregon operations.

In a statement, French curate David Amiel said (translated) that the effort was to “regain power of our integer destiny” by relying little connected U.S. tech companies. Amiel said that the French authorities tin nary longer judge that it doesn’t person power implicit its information and integer infrastructure.

France did not supply a circumstantial timeline for the switchover, oregon which distributions it was considering. Microsoft did not instantly remark connected the news.

This is the latest effort by France to trim its dependence connected U.S. tech giants and usage exertion and unreality services originated wrong its borders, known arsenic integer sovereignty, pursuing increasing instability and unpredictability connected the portion of the Trump administration. 

Lawmakers and authorities leaders crossed Europe are increasing much alert of the looming menace facing them astatine home, and their over-reliance connected U.S. technology. In January, the European Parliament voted to follow a study directing the European Commission to place areas wherever the EU tin trim its reliance connected overseas providers.

Since taking bureau successful January 2025, Trump has upped his attacks connected satellite leaders — consecutive retired capturing one and aiding successful the sidesplitting of another. He has besides weaponized sanctions against his critics, who see judges connected the International Criminal Court, efficaciously cutting them disconnected from transacting with U.S. companies. Those who person been sanctioned have reported having their slope accounts closed and entree to U.S. tech services terminated, arsenic good arsenic being blocked from immoderate different U.S. service.

France’s determination to ditch Windows comes months aft the authorities announced it would halt utilizing Microsoft Teams for video conferencing successful favour of French-made Visio, a instrumentality based connected the open-source end-to-end encrypted video gathering instrumentality Jitsi.

The French authorities said it besides plans to migrate its wellness information level to a caller trusted level by the extremity of the year.