Lyon joins Denmark & Germany in ditching Microsoft software for open-source tools

Another major European city is cutting ties with Microsoft. Lyon, the third-largest city in France, is officially ditching Windows, Microsoft Office, and SQL Server in favor of open-source alternatives like Linux, OnlyOffice, and PostgreSQL.

This shift follows similar moves in Denmark and Germany, where governments are phasing out Microsoft products to reduce foreign software dependency.

As spotted by The Register, Lyon’s local government plans to rely on a French-developed suite called Territoire Numerique Ouvert for office tasks and communication.

Why Lyon is going open-source

First, reducing reliance on U.S.-based tech companies and extending the life of existing hardware. By switching to Linux and FOSS tools, Lyon hopes to cut down on licensing costs and avoid e-waste from constant hardware upgrades.

It’s worth noting the city didn’t go with the more widely known LibreOffice but instead chose OnlyOffice, a cloud-friendly alternative licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License.

Thousands of users in Lyon’s administration are already using the Territoire Numerique Ouvert platform. To further support the transition, a €2 million grant from a French industrial development agency will help scale the open-source suite in government data centers.

Lyon serves over a million people with 10,000 government employees. The city’s complete departure from Microsoft products adds more pressure at a time when other nations are also shifting toward open-source solutions. All in all, it’s a clear sign that Europe’s public sector is serious about tech independence.