Overview
- France’s digital directorate announced an exit from Windows in favor of Linux for state workstations, with the plan expected to be formalized in the fall.
- Linux is open-source software that governments can customize and host in-country to keep tighter control over code and data.
- The Directorate General for Enterprises, the national cybersecurity agency ANSSI, and the State Procurement Directorate are helping lead the transition.
- Officials have not set a timeline or named which Linux distributions will be used, and Microsoft has not commented on the plan.
- Related moves include replacing Microsoft Teams with the French-made Visio service and migrating the national health data platform to a trusted host by the end of 2026.