France to adopt Linux to reduce reliance on US technology

To reduce its reliance on U.S. technology, French government has said that it is planning to shift some of its computers that are currently running on Windows to open source operating system Linux.

The open source operating system – Linux is free to download and use, with various customized distributions that are tailored and designed for specific use cases or operations.   

French minister David Amiel stated (translated) that the effort was to “regain control of our digital destiny” by relying less on U.S. tech companies. He said the French government can no longer accept a lack of control over its data and digital infrastructure.

The French government has not provided a specific timeline for the transition or disclosed which alternatives it is evaluating. The shift will begin with systems at the government’s digital agency, DINUM.

This move is part of France’s broader push to reduce reliance on U.S. technology companies and strengthen its domestic digital ecosystem, following geopolitical uncertainty and recent policy actions by the Trump administration.

In January, the European Parliament adopted a report urging the European Commission to identify areas where they can reduce reliance on foreign technology providers. Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has intensified confrontations with global institutions and critics, including the use of sanctions that have affected judges on the International Criminal Court. Those targeted have reported disruptions such as closed bank accounts and loss of access to U.S. technology services.

France’s decision to move away from Windows follows an earlier move to replace Microsoft Teams with a French alternative built on the open-source Jitsi platform. The French government has also announced plans to migrate its national health data platform to a new trusted infrastructure by the end of the year.