GermanyThe Bavarian state government has spent over 258 million euros on Microsoft products and services between 2020 and 2025, according to an SPD inquiry in the state parliament. Additional payments of around 102 million euros are planned for the current budget period (2026/27), bringing total spending to approximately 360 million euros over eight years. These figures do not include expenditures by Bavarian municipalities. The costs for Microsoft 365, a cloud-based subscription service, have increased significantly. At the federal level, expenses for Microsoft licenses rose by nearly 38% from 2024 to 2025, more than doubling since 2020. SPD member Florian von Brunn criticizes the reliance on Microsoft, citing concerns about data security under U.S. law, particularly the Cloud Act, which allows U.S. authorities access to data held by American companies. He argues that Bavaria has not fulfilled its legal obligation to seek digital independence and has not conducted cost comparisons to determine if alternatives to Microsoft would be more economical.
Bias read (Progressive): The article highlights significant financial commitments to a foreign technology corporation and critiques the lack of digital sovereignty and cost-effectiveness of these expenditures. It emphasizes concerns about data privacy under U.S. laws and criticizes the government for not adhering to its own
