The Dutch government is building its own sovereign alternative to Windows and Microsoft Office, based on the Linux distribution NixOS.

The project, called DAWO — short for Digitaal Autonome Werkomgeving Overheid — aims to replace the full Microsoft stack with open-source software. Eight municipalities are already piloting it, The Register reported on September 28.

The push gained official status in July, when the government’s interdepartmental commission ordered three state IT providers to develop a standardised digital workplace.

The drive for digital sovereignty follows the United States sanctioning the International Criminal Court, after which Microsoft cut off the chief prosecutor’s email in 2025 — a moment that spooked European governments.

France is pursuing a similar path with NixOS-based workstations. For the Netherlands, the goal is simple: no foreign company should hold the off switch for the state’s computers.