Summary
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is gradually phasing out Microsoft software and building a state-wide open-source platform based on Nextcloud. The Ministry of Finance and Digitalization has adopted this strategy to achieve digital sovereignty. The migration from SharePoint to Nextcloud has already been completed for the first 5,000 employees; in the medium term, over 50,000 civil servants are expected to switch. In October 2025, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern concluded a cooperation agreement with Schleswig-Holstein to coordinate infrastructure jointly. For AI applications, the state aims to use European language models deliberately, not American ones.
People
- Heiko Geue (Finance Minister, SPD)
- Marco Anschütz (CIO for IT and Digitalization)
Topics
- Digital sovereignty
- Open-source software
- Cloud migration
- Federated IT cooperation
- Artificial intelligence in administration
Clarus Lead
The transition signals a departure from the US tech dominance model in German administration and positions Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as a federal trendsetter. The strategy links cost savings (medium to long term) with security policy objectives: data sovereignty, IT resilience through regional redundancy, and deliberate non-dependence on hyperscalers for AI. With the alliance with Schleswig-Holstein, a model emerges for other German states without creating technological disruptions – Windows PCs remain in place for now.
Detailed Summary
Implementation focuses on Nextcloud, a German open-source solution that enables file management, data sharing, team chat, and video conferencing without external data control. CIO Marco Anschütz confirms that the first migration wave from Microsoft SharePoint was completed smoothly and without data loss. Scaling to 50,000 civil servants (from ministries to municipal facilities) will be operated by the state-owned DVZ M-V GmbH on its own infrastructure – critical for continuity and IT security.
The technological alliance with Schleswig-Holstein (cooperation agreement October 2025) standardizes infrastructures and creates mutual emergency scenarios. In the AI sector, the state deliberately avoids US providers (Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, Amazon) and relies on European language models such as Mistral (France) and Tilde (Latvia) for the administration chatbot "Lea". This reduces lock-in effects and strengthens European data spaces. Finance Minister Heiko Geue emphasizes the dual objective: digital independence and cost efficiency. Complete abandonment of Windows is not planned – Microsoft remains a supplier in the operating system segment.
Key Statements
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern systematically replaces Microsoft cloud solutions with Nextcloud for data sovereignty
- First 5,000 employees successfully migrated; target: 50,000 civil servants
- Federated alliance with Schleswig-Holstein increases infrastructure resilience and IT security
- AI strategy deliberately avoids US hyperscalers; European language models (Mistral, Tilde) are alternatives
- Windows PCs remain – pragmatic hybrid approach instead of radical technological disruption
Critical Questions
Evidence/Data Quality: How will the "smooth and lossless" completed migrations be externally audited? What metrics demonstrate success?
Conflicts of Interest: Does the state-owned DVZ M-V GmbH benefit from exclusive operating contracts, and are competitive mechanisms or benchmarking against private providers planned?
Causality/Alternatives: Why was Nextcloud preferred over other European open-source solutions (Collabora, OnlyOffice)? Which alternatives were evaluated?
Feasibility – Scaling: How will Nextcloud scale to 50,000+ users without infrastructure outage risks? Who bears operational responsibility?
AI Governance: Are Mistral and Tilde actually EU-compliant in their data protection and transparency policies? Or does dependence exist through French/Latvian regulation?
Lock-in Avoidance with European Providers: How is it ensured that the switch to Mistral does not create new dependence on French AI infrastructure?
Cost Forecast: What concrete savings (€) are expected from Nextcloud vs. SharePoint in the medium term? Are financing calculations available?
Windows Strategy: Why does Windows remain in unlimited use if digital sovereignty is the goal? Is there a Linux migration strategy for the future?
Source Index
Primary Source: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Says Goodbye to Microsoft – heise.de https://www.heise.de/news/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern-verabschiedet-sich-von-Microsoft-11352440.html
Verification Status: ✓ 2025
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 2025