The Digitalisation Minister aims to reduce use of Microsoft in their own ministry.

From next month, digitalization minister Caroline Stage (M) plans to reduce the use of Microsoft and the tech giant's programs.

The plan is for half of the staff in the ministry to switch to another text program other than the Office package from Windows, which Microsoft owns, over the summer.

Caroline Stage tells Politiken.

- I want to go first and try it out. When the opportunity presented itself, it would then be completely foolish not to seize the opportunity. I am very much looking forward to seeing how it works in practice, says digitalization minister.

Instead, the staff at the ministry will use the software program Libre Office.

Microsoft is behind well-known computer programs such as Word, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint.

If everything goes as expected, the entire ministry will be free of the Office package by the end of the fall, it sounds.

If the shift away from Microsoft becomes too difficult, "we will simply go back to the other one on the short track," says digitalization minister.

The move is taking place in conjunction with the minister's desire to make Denmark more independent of tech giants. Particularly relevant to tech companies with headquarters in the USA.

Caroline Stage has previously stated that there needs to be a change in the dependence on the large tech companies.

Minister's plan for a phase-out comes up to the launch of a so-called digitalization strategy, which has been agreed upon between the state, regions, and municipalities.

In the strategy, "digital sovereignty" will be a priority from the Danish side, writes Politiken.

The current world situation - including the relationship with the USA - has fueled a growing debate about data protection and the use of digital infrastructure with headquarters in the USA.

In the last few days, the Red-Green Alliance and Alternative have expressed a desire for a greater release from American tech giants.

Red-Green Alliance's digitalization spokesperson, Rosa Lund, believes that Denmark should cut ties with the American tech companies.

The same desire has been repeated by Alternative's Helene Brydensholt to TV 2 Østjylland.

- In Alternative, we want the government to quickly lay out a plan for how Denmark becomes free of the American tech giants and becomes digitally sovereign, says digitalization spokesperson.

/ritzau/

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