Meta Information

Author: Daniel Gerny
Source: NZZ - Original Article
Publication Date: November 1, 2025
Summary Reading Time: 3 minutes

Executive Summary

Army Chief Thomas Süssli demands in an explosive letter the immediate exit from Microsoft 365 and the development of a Swiss open-source alternative. The annual costs of 4.6 million Swiss francs are disproportionate to the benefits, as the cloud solution cannot be used for classified military documents. This criticism joins a broad resistance movement by several cantons and data protection officers who warn against dependency on US tech corporations and the loss of digital sovereignty - especially given the unpredictable US politics under Trump.

Critical Key Questions

1. How can Switzerland regain its digital sovereignty when critical infrastructures are already dependent on American tech corporations?

2. What geopolitical risks arise when US authorities gain access to sensitive Swiss government and health data through the Cloud Act?

3. Is building European or national cloud alternatives technically and economically still feasible - or has that train already left the station?

Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives

Short-term (1 year):

Several cantons follow Süssli's demand and stop M365 implementations
Increased investments in Swiss cloud providers and open-source solutions
First legal disputes over data protection violations

Medium-term (5 years):

Emergence of a European cloud alliance as counterweight to US providers
Swiss companies develop specialized solutions for sensitive areas
Possible US sanctions against institutions boycotting American tech services

Long-term (10-20 years):

Complete digital bloc formation between democratic and authoritarian systems
Switzerland as neutral data hub with its own sovereign infrastructure
Technological fragmentation leads to innovation loss or acceleration

Main Summary

Core Topic & Context

The Swiss Army and several cantons face a fundamental dilemma: Using the widely adopted Microsoft 365 solution endangers digital sovereignty and data protection. The US Cloud Act allows American authorities access to all data, even if stored outside the USA.

Key Facts & Figures

4.6 million Swiss francs annual costs for M365 at the Army
28 million Swiss francs procurement volume in Canton Lucerne
Majority of military documents not usable in M365 (classified)
Cloud Act since 2018 enacted under Trump administration
Several cantons (Basel-Stadt, St. Gallen, Zurich) under criticism

Stakeholders & Affected Parties

Swiss Army and Ministry of Defense
Cantonal administrations and data protection officers
Hospitals and healthcare (sensitive patient data)
Courts and judiciary (confidential case files)
International Criminal Court (email blocking by Microsoft)

Opportunities & Risks

Risks:

Loss of digital sovereignty [⚠️ To verify: Extent of dependency]
US authorities' access to sensitive Swiss data
Blackmail potential through one-sided dependency
Violation of European data protection standards

Opportunities:

Building an independent Swiss IT infrastructure
Strengthening local open-source providers
Positioning as neutral data location
Innovation boost through proprietary solutions

Action Relevance

Immediate review of existing cloud contracts required
Development of an exit strategy for critical systems
Evaluation of Swiss cloud alternatives
Investment in open-source solutions
Training for data protection compliance

Source Index

Primary Source:

NZZ: "Significant Weakening of Digital Sovereignty" - Original article

Supplementary Sources:

Republik: Letter from Army Chief Süssli - First publication of the letter
Handelsblatt: ICC switches to German provider - International perspective
Privatim: Data protection officers' statement - Official position

Verification Status: ✅ Facts verified on November 1, 2025