France Moves Government PCs From Windows to Linux

France announced this week that it will start moving government computers from Windows to Linux. The country's digital agency DINUM will lead the transition, beginning with its own workstations. Each ministry has until fall 2026 to submit a migration plan covering everything from operating systems to collaboration tools, antivirus, AI systems, databases, virtualization, and network equipment.

This isn't France's first move away from American tech. Earlier this year, the government banned public officials from using Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Meet, replacing them with French-built alternatives.

What's clear? France wants more control over its own data, infrastructure, and the systems that run its government. What's not clear yet is which version of Linux they'll use. The government hasn't locked in a specific distribution. There's openSUSE, which is based in Germany, or other European open source options. That decision will likely come later this year when the ministries submit their detailed plans.