Denmark’s Ministry for Digital Affairs launches LibreOffice pilot program
NEWS
The Document Foundation has unveiled LibreOffice 25.8, the newest release of its leading free and open-source office suite. This update continues to prioritize digital sovereignty and privacy, giving users—from individuals to large organizations and governments—full control over their data and access to a robust set of productivity tools.
As Open Source Observatory reports, since June, Denmark’s Ministry for Digital Affairs has been piloting an integrated version of LibreOffice within its Electronic Case Management System, F2. Spearheaded by Digitalisation Minister Caroline Stage Olsen, the initiative aims not only to reduce costs but also to decrease reliance on foreign technology providers and strengthen national control over digital infrastructure.
Currently, about 30 to 40 ministry staff are testing LibreOffice. The ministry has stated that if any major issues arise, they may temporarily switch back to Microsoft products to maintain smooth operations. Minister Olsen highlighted that, while Denmark remains open to international partnerships, the primary objective is to achieve greater autonomy and resilience, especially in uncertain geopolitical times.
A significant motivator for this move was a recent email outage at the International Criminal Court, which exposed the risks of depending on a single foreign supplier for critical systems. Ongoing political sensitivities in the region, such as U.S. tech influence in Greenland, have also intensified the push for digital independence.
Denmark is not alone in this effort; countries like Germany and France are exploring similar strategies. This Danish initiative could become one of the most promising government-led open-source software transitions in recent years.
Major Danish municipalities, including Copenhagen and Aarhus, are closely monitoring the ministry’s progress and may adopt similar approaches if the pilot proves successful. A positive outcome at the national level could pave the way for broader adoption across the public sector.
However, the transition will not be without obstacles. Moving away from Microsoft’s established ecosystem will require extensive retraining, workflow adjustments, and solutions for compatibility with legacy systems. Despite these challenges, the long-term benefits—such as increased transparency, stronger control, and a growing community of public institutions supporting open digital infrastructure—make the effort worthwhile.
As Europe continues to reassess its digital dependencies, Denmark’s bold move could set a new standard for how governments manage and govern digital ecosystems in the public interest.