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The Netherlands Built a Nix-Based Linux Desktop Because Microsoft Cut Off the ICC (itsfoss.com)

submitted 4 days ago by tardigrade@scribe.disroot.org to c/buyeuropean@feddit.uk

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When the U.S. government imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in early 2025, the consequences were far-reaching yet quickly enforced.

The restrictions cut off the ICC chief prosecutor's access to Microsoft services, including email, followed by a freezing of his personal and institutional bank accounts in affected jurisdictions.

While this was happening, the Dutch government was watching, coming to the bitter realization that access to essential services depended on decisions made in the U.S.

Hence, their response to this is DAWO, short for Digitaal Autonome Werkomgeving Overheid, or Digital Autonomous Work Environment for Government in English.

It is a framework that looks to tackle the government's digital stack, covering the OS, an office suite, collaboration apps, cloud services, IT management tools, and AI, with all of it being built around a NixOS foundation.

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[-] trebach@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 days ago

Canada is learning its lesson. It's just so entangled with the US that it's taking a while to implement alternatives. Alberta is deliberately clinging onto the US as well.

this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2026

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