Publication Date: 10.11.2025

Meta Information

Author: Dylan Windhaber / cbi (Netzwoche)
Source: netzwoche.ch
Publication Date: 10.11.2025
Summary Reading Time: 3 minutes

Executive Summary

The Digital Society Switzerland demands in a position paper the radical departure from Microsoft and Amazon dependencies in public IT infrastructure. The central warning: Switzerland would be powerless in case of tech sanctions, as shown by the example of the International Criminal Court. Without sovereign digital infrastructure, the country risks losing its data sovereignty, operational capability, and democratic self-determination – a wake-up call for politics and business before dependencies become irreversibly entrenched.

Critical Key Questions

How realistic is digital sovereignty in a globalized tech market – or does the path inevitably lead to an expensive isolated solution with innovation disadvantages?
Where does legitimate data protection end and protectionist isolation begin, hindering innovation and international cooperation?
What responsibility do Swiss companies and authorities bear, having prioritized convenience over sovereignty for years – and what exit costs are emerging now?

Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives

Short-term (1 year):
Political debates intensify, first pilot projects with open-source alternatives start in individual cantons. Microsoft and Amazon strengthen lobbying activities.

Medium-term (5 years):
Switzerland develops common Gaia-X-compliant cloud standards with EU partners. Parallel systems emerge: authorities use sovereign solutions, private sector remains with US providers.

Long-term (10-20 years):
Geopolitical tensions lead to a "Splinternet" – separate digital ecosystems between democratic and authoritarian blocs. Swiss neutrality becomes a digital location advantage or technological isolation.

Main Summary

a) Core Topic & Context

The Digital Society (Digiges) warns of Switzerland's critical dependency on US tech corporations in public administration. The association demands a strategic realignment of digital policy to remain capable of action in crisis situations and protect democratic values.

b) Most Important Facts & Figures

• Acute pressure to act: "The time to act is now" – warning against irreversible entrenchment
• Concrete risk: Microsoft blocking like with the International Criminal Court as precedent
• 6 core demands for digital sovereignty defined
• European cooperation as central building block of the strategy
• Open-source prioritization demanded in public IT procurement

c) Stakeholders & Affected Parties

• Directly affected: Federal administration, cantons, municipalities
• Tech corporations: Microsoft, Amazon (AWS) as main targets of criticism
• Economy: SMEs and large companies with compliance requirements
• Civil society: Citizens with data protection concerns

d) Opportunities & Risks

Opportunities:
• Strengthening innovation capacity through local tech development
• Data protection leadership role as location advantage
• New jobs in the sovereign tech sector

Risks:
• High migration and operating costs [⚠️ Cost estimates missing]
• Compatibility problems with global standards
• Skills shortage for sovereign solutions

e) Action Relevance

Decision-makers should immediately conduct an inventory of critical dependencies and develop exit strategies. The 2026 budget planning must consider investments in sovereign alternatives. Companies should examine dual-vendor strategies to minimize lock-in effects.

Quality Assurance & Fact-Checking

✅ Verified: Microsoft sanctions against International Criminal Court (2024)
⚠️ To verify: Concrete dependency levels of Swiss administration on US cloud services
⚠️ Missing: Cost estimates for migration to sovereign solutions

Supplementary Research

Gaia-X Initiative – European cloud sovereignty project with Swiss participation
FDPIC Statement on Cloud Services – Data protection assessment of US clouds
Microsoft Government Cloud Switzerland – Corporation's counter-position to sovereignty debate

Source Directory

Primary Source:
Digital Society Demands End of Dependency on Foreign Tech Giants – Netzwoche, 10.11.2025

Verification Status: ✅ Facts checked on 10.11.2025

Version: 1.0
Analysis: press@clarus.news
License: CC-BY 4.0