Katharina Dröge, the leader of the Greens parliamentary group, advocates for authorities to exclusively utilize digital services that are not controlled or accessible by non-European governments. Her primary concern involves achieving digital sovereignty and strengthening the European market. Dröge warns that relying on infrastructure dictated by outside providers creates a critical democratic vulnerability. She underscores this risk by referencing the example of the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, who in May 2025 lost access to his email accounts after the US government imposed sanctions, which subsequently caused Microsoft to block his access.
Beyond security, switching to open-source solutions offers significant economic advantages. For instance, the federal government spent €481.4 million on Microsoft licenses in 2025-a figure that has nearly doubled compared to 2023-demonstrating the costly reliance on foreign platforms. The adoption of open-source methods, such as those currently being practiced in Schleswig-Holstein, could help save large amounts of money.
Regarding social media platforms, Dröge defends the necessity of remaining present on platforms like X/Twitter, arguing that democrats cannot afford to legitimize their absence. Despite advocating for strategic funding for European alternatives, she deems TikTok indispensable for communicating with younger generations. She asserts that democrats cannot leave the digital spaces on TikTok solely to the far-right.
