The German state of Schleswig-Holstein is accelerating its migration from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice, reinforcing its commitment to digital sovereignty and open-source principles. By October 2025, the state aims for 70% of government staff to rely primarily on LibreOffice for daily work.
Key Points of the Migration:
- Wide Deployment: LibreOffice has already been installed on around 30,000 workstations across the administration, with Microsoft Office still available as a fallback during the transition.
- Policy-Driven Approach: The shift is guided by a commitment to public money funding public code, digital self-determination, and promoting competition through procurement.
- Comprehensive Open-Source Stack: LibreOffice is part of a broader ecosystem that includes Linux desktops, Open-Xchange for email, Nextcloud for collaboration, and open telephony solutions.
- ODF Standardisation: The Open Document Format (ODF) has been adopted as the default file format across all departments, encouraging the move away from proprietary formats.
- Phased Rollout & Training: Each ministry is responsible for its own timeline, with training and support provided to ensure a smooth transition. Microsoft Office remains available for legacy compatibility when required.
This large-scale deployment highlights how public administrations can lead the way in adopting open-source technologies while ensuring usability and resilience.