Overview
- Digital Minister Fabian Mehring calls for an open-ended reassessment of the prospective Microsoft deal, citing changed geopolitical risks.
- Finance Minister Albert Füracker rebukes Mehring, says talk of a new framework contract is wrong, and labels his remarks as near fake news.
- The government’s concept seeks to consolidate existing licenses and standardize usage, with data hosted in Bavarian state data centers.
- The plan envisions making centrally negotiated Microsoft 365 licenses available on an optional basis for municipalities, many of which already use Microsoft tools.
- German companies and opposition parties warn of vendor lock-in, high long-term costs, and security risks, and the timeline for any agreement remains unresolved after an earlier target of end-2025.