In Poland, a public debate has emerged on whether and how to reduce dependence on a handful of global IT providers in public administration, and what this might mean for the stability of public services.[file:2]
Across Europe, open-source solutions are increasingly considered a strategic tool for building digital sovereignty, as illustrated by the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, which is transitioning from commercial systems to Linux, LibreOffice and Nextcloud.[file:2]
The core of the debate is not a simple “yes or no” to Big Tech, but the long-term model for managing state digital infrastructure, resilience to crises and the real costs and benefits for citizens and institutions.[file:2]