Lyon shifts to open-source in bid for digital sovereignty

Arabian Post

2 days ago

Lyon's municipal government has begun phasing out Microsoft Office, Windows and SQL in favour of open-source alternatives, marking one of Europe's most significant moves away from US proprietary software. The third‑largest city in France, which employs around 10,000 public servants and serves over a million residents, will adopt OnlyOffice for productivity tasks, Linux as the operating system and PostgreSQL for database management.
City officials emphasised that this decision aligns with efforts to reduce dependence on American technology, extend hardware lifespan and reinforce control over critical digital infrastructure. The move is expected to bring environmental benefits by avoiding e-waste and minimise the need for frequent licence upgrades tied to proprietary systems set to reach end-of-life in the coming years.
Beyond migration, Lyon is developing 'Territoire Numérique Ouvert', a French-designed suite for video conferencing and office automation hosted in local data centres. The initiative received a €2 million grant from L'Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires and is already used by multiple French communities.
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Training for around 10,000 civil servants began in June, supporting the transition and underscoring the scale of the change management involved. Comparable plans are under way elsewhere in Europe, with Denmark's Ministry for Digital Government moving to LibreOffice and Linux, and Germany's Schleswig‑Holstein state transitioning 30,000 public sector users.
However, challenges persist. Compatibility with legacy applications—especially those relying on advanced Excel functions or Microsoft Exchange—is a major concern. Organisations like Munich have previously attempted full open-source migration and later reversed course due to user dissatisfaction and integration difficulties. Local IT experts warn the city must provide robust support for employees throughout the migration.
Lyon's Deputy Mayor for Digital Policy, Bertrand Maes, stated the city's aim is to 'empower citizens and safeguard their data' by championing open-source solutions guided by European digital sovereignty principles. Salaried IT staff are part of a gradual rollout designed to allow adaptation and avoid workflow disruption.
Combining digital autonomy, cost savings and environmental stewardship, Lyon's approach reflects a broader EU policy shift emphasising open standards, interoperability and reduced vendor lock‑in. While the city's IT consultants note that short‑term costs such as training and infrastructure alignment could be high, savings from licence fees and reduced hardware churn may offset these in the long haul.
Europe's growing urgency around data privacy and jurisdictional exposure, especially under mechanisms like the US Cloud Act, has fuelled interest in locally controlled alternatives. Lyon's step joins an expanding coalition of municipalities and states aiming to reclaim control over their digital ecosystems.