Goodbye, Google: European Parliament introduces French competitor Qwant as default search engine

European political institutions have begun to implement more concretely the predictions about reducing addiction from American tech giants. The European Parliament has decided to remove Google as the default web browser from the official computers of its members and other staff. It will be replaced by the French Qwant, which has built its reputation primarily on promises of strict privacy protection.

The change came into effect on Thursday, June 4, 2026. From that day on, when using the Firefox or Edge browsers, Members will be automatically redirected to results generated by Qwant and no longer to those provided by Google when entering search queries.

Although technologically it is a relatively simple change of settings, this step carries enormous political weight. Google still has a monopoly position in Europe, controlling around 90% of the online search market. The European Parliament highlighted this move as a clear signal and part of a broader strategy to achieve greater digital autonomy on the old continent. The timing is also not coincidental, as the decision came into force just a day after the European Commission unveiled a comprehensive legislative package aimed at reducing technological subordination to the United States.

The new measure does not force MEPs and thousands of administration employees to use the new system. Qwant will be the default choice, but each individual will still have the option to manually set Google as their browser or choose any other alternative in their settings.

However, this move raises questions about the remaining, much deeper dependencies of the European political apparatus. While the default search engine has been replaced, the entire infrastructure – from Windows operating systems and Microsoft Office software packages to foreign smartphones and email systems – remains firmly in the hands of American corporations.