Why France Is Ditching Windows for a Nationwide Linux Desktop

Background and Motivation

For years Linux has been praised for its stability, security, and growing desktop usability, but the recent surge in distrust of U.S. technology firms—especially Microsoft—has pushed many European governments to seek alternatives. France, following other EU states, decided to replace Windows with a home‑grown Linux solution.

Policy and Timeline

On 8 April 2026 the French inter‑ministerial digital agency (DINUM) issued a binding decree that all ministries must cease using Windows and adopt Linux by autumn 2026, with a full national rollout planned for 2027. The decree requires each department to audit non‑European technology dependencies and submit migration plans.

Technical Stack – FranceOS

The new desktop, tentatively named FranceOS , will be built on the GendBuntu distribution, itself derived from Ubuntu LTS. The upcoming version will track Ubuntu 26.04 and run on the Linux 7.0 kernel (a modest evolution from the current 6.19). The graphics stack will move from X11 to Wayland, and the default desktop environment will be GNOME 50, offering a cleaner UI and stronger GPU support.

Preinstalled Applications

LibreOffice 26.2.2 – office suite

Firefox ESR 140 – web browser

Thunderbird ESR 140 – email client

GIMP 3.0.6 – image editor

La Suite Numérique – Core Services

Tchap : secure instant messaging based on the Matrix protocol, end‑to‑end encrypted, federated, and replaces WhatsApp/Telegram for official communication.

Visio : video‑conferencing built on LiveKit (WebRTC SFU), supporting up to 500 participants per room and 10 000 viewers for webinars, with transcription, recording, and sovereign storage.

Docs : collaborative document editor using BlockNote, offering real‑time editing, version history, Markdown export, and ODF compatibility.

Grist : spreadsheet and low‑code platform powered by Python/SQLite, providing relational tables, Python formulas, role‑based permissions, and API automation.

Fichiers : secure file storage and sharing via Nextcloud, 10 GB per user, with link expiration, ransomware detection, and EU‑hosted infrastructure.

Messagerie : sovereign email, contacts, and calendar based on Open Xchange, supporting IMAP/SMTP, CalDAV/CardDAV, mobile apps, and single‑sign‑on.

France Transfert : large‑file transfer service developed by DINUM, up to 10 GB per transfer, password‑protected, expirable links, audit logs, and GDPR‑compliant deletion.

Unified Experience and European Collaboration

All seven tools share a common design system, single‑sign‑on via ProConnect, and French OpenID Connect identity services. They are hosted on Dassault Systèmes’ Outscale SecNumCloud and interoperate with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace for external collaboration. France also collaborates with the Netherlands’ CommonGround and Germany’s Sovereign Cloud Stack to create an EU‑wide interoperable public‑sector toolchain.

Cost Savings and Digital Sovereignty

The French government estimates that switching a single workstation from Windows 11 to GendBuntu saves about €2 million annually; a nationwide rollout could save over €40 million per year. More importantly, the migration eliminates reliance on U.S. software, giving France full control over its digital infrastructure.