Switzerland Tests Open-Source Suite as Alternative to Microsoft 365

The Swiss federal government has launched a pilot project to test openDesk as an alternative to Microsoft 365. The pilot, which began in early 2027 and is scheduled to run until the end of the year, will cover approximately 7% of the federal administration's 54,000 positions.

The government allocated 9 million CHF ($11.1 million, €9.5 million) for the project, with officials citing digital sovereignty and data protection as key motivations. They aim to cut costs by switching from Microsoft products, which have been sharply raising prices in recent years.

openDesk is an open-source, browser-based productivity suite developed by the German public enterprise ZenDiS. The software combines various European-made tools for different functions, and has gained popularity among sovereignty-conscious governments and institutions.