Keynote: Digital Sovereignty and Open Source – Shaping an answer to geopolitical instabilities
A presentation at FOSS Backstage in in Berlin, Germany by Jutta Horstmann
Digital Sovereignty and Open Source Shaping an answer to geopolitical instabilities FOSS Backstage, Berlin | 10.03.2025 | Jutta Horstmann, CEO ZenDiS GmbH
Open Source in the Public Sector
2019
96% 96% of German federal government agencies use Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows. (Source: Strategic market analysis, PwC, 2019)
80% Around 80% of the virtualisation solutions used by the federal government are from VMware. (Source: Federal government response to a parliamentary enquiry)
75% 75% of federal administration data is managed with Oracle solutions. (Source: Analyse der Abhängigkeit der Öffentlichen Verwaltung von Datenbankprodukten, 2021)
Cost Explosion
€13.6 bn The current IT framework agreements between the federal government and the ten biggest contractual partners have totalled 13.6 billion euros since 2023. (Source: Federal government response to a parliamentary enquiry)
€4.6 bn The German federal government signed a general contract with Oracle on 4.6 billion euros. (Source: Federal government response to a parliamentary enquiry)
Loss of Control
The answer
Digital Sovereignty Having a choice Being free to adapt Having a voice
Digital Sovereignty Having a choice Provide alternatives Being free to adapt Ensure adaptability Having a voice Build competence
Digital Sovereignty Having a choice Provide alternatives Being free to adapt Ensure adaptability Having a voice Build competence
Our role Public administration Open source providers
Plattform Products Plattform for sovereign public sector software Office & Collaboration Suite for the public sector www.opencode.de www.opendesk.eu
0,5% Only 0,5% of all federal spendings on software and related services went into Open Source related efforts. (Source: Federal government response to a parliamentary enquiry, Dec 2023)
An end to digital strategy
An end to proper funding
And now?
From threat to opportunity
A plan 1. Focus on a sovereign digital strategy. 2. Close ranks with European partners. 3. Stop public spending on proprietary US technologies. 4. Make procurement of Open Source software a „must“. 5. Create an updated overview on all dependencies. 6. Procure or develop Open Source alternatives. 7. Create migration strategies. 8. Implement them.
Digital sovereignty does not stop on national borders
What’s it going to take?
A call to action
Let’s make sure digital sovereignty and Open Source make it into the coalition contract and the list of projects to be funded by the special funds for defense and infrastructure.
Let’s work together to provide Open Source solutions that governments, companies and individuals now need to regain their agency.
Any questions? Let’s make a difference together! Jutta Horstmann CEO ZenDiS GmbH E-Mail: jutta.horstmann@zendis.de LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhorstmann/ Centre for Digital Sovereignty of Public Administration E-Mail: hallo@zendis.de Web: www.zendis.de
