Digital sovereignty: Saxony-Anhalt is planning a bold step towards independence!

Digital sovereignty: Saxony-Anhalt is planning a bold step towards independence!

Digital sovereignty is a central issue for the future of Germany, affecting both the public sector and companies. These concepts refer to the ability to independently choose, control and protect digital infrastructures, data and technologies. The dependence on international corporations becomes particularly clear when, for example, the email account of the chief prosecutor of the International Court of Justice was blocked by Microsoft, which led to the court being unable to function. Such incidents highlight the need to strengthen digital sovereignty in order to remain able to act, especially for public administrations.

In current coalition agreements, including in Saxony-Anhalt, digital sovereignty is highlighted as an important point. Investments in open source technologies are considered strategically necessary as they enable independence from large technology providers and offer greater control over one's own systems and data. Nevertheless, the transition to open source requires significant investments, as well as expertise and central team structures to overcome the associated challenges.

Challenges and opportunities

The current tight budget situation in many German regions, including Saxony-Anhalt, limits the opportunities to fill positions in technical professions. In addition, the lack of open source experts is seen as a significant hurdle for digital transformation without resorting to external providers. In this context, it is particularly important to invest in building skills and training staff.

Federalism in Germany makes digital sovereignty even more difficult, as cooperation across state and city borders is required. The Center for Digital Sovereignty (ZenDis), founded in 2022, is intended to support federal, state and local governments in this challenge. A pragmatic approach is required to gradually improve the IT landscape in Germany.

Benefits of digital sovereignty

Digital sovereignty offers crucial advantages, such as control over your own digital assets, data and know-how. This promotes independence and security in both the public sector and companies and supports the implementation of nationally adapted solutions. In addition, digital education is strengthened among the population, which breaks down knowledge silos through the strategic training of workers.

Reducing national dependence on foreign technology providers is another goal, although digital sovereignty must not be equated with economic self-sufficiency. Rather, it is intended to promote international cooperation and support exchange between organizations to develop technologies and digital standards. The need to make these issues visible nationwide is becoming increasingly explosive in view of the challenges ahead.