Katharina Dröge, leader of the Greens parliamentary group, advocates for mandatory digital services used by government authorities to be exclusively those that are not subject to the control or access of non-European governments. In a position paper reported by the “Tagesspiegel”, she emphasizes that her primary concern is establishing digital sovereignty while simultaneously bolstering the European market. She argues that relying on infrastructure controlled by non-European providers creates a “democratic vulnerability”.
To illustrate this risk, she cites the example of the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, who lost access to his email accounts in May 2025 after the U.S. government imposed sanctions, leading Microsoft to suspend his access.
Beyond security concerns, Dröge points out that a strategic shift toward open-source solutions, a practice currently underway in Schleswig-Holstein, could generate considerable cost savings. She highlighted that the federal administration spent 481.4 million Euros on Microsoft licenses in 2025-a sum nearly doubled compared to 2023.
Regarding specific platforms, Dröge defends her continued use of X (formerly Twitter). She notes that Democrats should no longer legitimize the service simply due to its presence online. However, she stresses the necessity of strategic funding to promote European alternatives. In contrast, she insists that the platform TikTok remains indispensable, stating that those looking to communicate with young people are currently dependent on it and that Democrats cannot leave these communication spaces solely to right-wing extremists.