Metadata

Publication Date: 01.11.2025

Executive Summary

The Swiss Army Chief Thomas Süssli massively questions Microsoft 365 (M365) and demands a national open-source alternative. The main points of criticism are data privacy risks, high costs, and limited usability for classified documents.

Critical Guiding Questions

How dependent does Switzerland make itself on US technology corporations?
What risks arise from cloud solutions of American companies?
Can national alternatives secure digital sovereignty?

Core Topic & Context

Microsoft 365 is under fire in several Swiss cantons and federal offices. The main criticism is the potentially uncontrolled data access by US authorities according to the Cloud Act.

Most Important Facts

Annual costs for M365: 4.6 million francs
Army chief demands exit strategy and Swiss open-source solution
Cloud Act allows US authorities data access even outside the USA

Stakeholders & Affected Parties

Swiss Federal Administration
Cantonal Administrations (Basel-Stadt, Lucerne, St. Gallen)
Military and public institutions

Opportunities & Risks

Risks

Loss of digital sovereignty
Unwanted data access by US authorities
Disregard of European data protection standards

Opportunities

Development of national cloud solutions
Strengthening of digital independence
Promotion of local technology companies

Scenario Analysis

Short-term (1 year)

Review of existing M365 contracts
Development of alternative software solutions

Medium-term (5 years)

Construction of sovereign cloud infrastructures
Increasing independence from US technology providers

Long-term (10-20 years)

Possible reorganization of global data flows
Stronger international regulation of cloud services

Recommendations for Action

Critical review of existing cloud contracts
Investments in national soft- and hardware solutions
Development of own data protection strategies

References

Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Original article)
Report Conference of Cantonal Data Protection Officers
Activity Report Data Protection Office St. Gallen

Verification Status: ✅ Facts verified on 01.11.2025