German federal government spent over €1.9 billion on Microsoft licenses from 2017 to 2025 (heise.de)

• Total Microsoft license costs 2017-2025: over €1.9 billion
• Annual cost in 2025: over €481 million, up 38% from 2024
• OpenDesk usage: only 8,756 licenses, mostly at Robert Koch Institute

"New government data reveals that German federal administration spending on Microsoft licenses reached over €1.9 billion between 2017 and 2025, with a single-year cost of €481 million in 2025. Costs are rising rapidly, while open-source alternatives like OpenDesk see minimal adoption. Critics from the Left party and the Open Source Business Alliance urge action to reduce dependency."