Europe

Politico Owner Asks Staff to Back Israel or Quit

Is Axel Springer's stance a betrayal of press freedom or a legitimate exercise in editorial leadership?

MAY 1·Updated MAY 4

Politico Owner Asks Staff to Back Israel or Quit

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Above: Axel Springer CEO Mathias Dopfner during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 20. Image credit: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Left narrative

Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner is strong-arming Politico staff into backing Israel or hitting the road — a textbook case of editorial capture dressed up as principle. Singling out one nation's right to exist as a core company value is a loyalty test. Conflating any critique of Israel with antisemitism is exactly how honest journalism gets strangled.

Cenk Uygur on X Owen Jones Battlelines

Right narrative

Döpfner's ultimatum to Politico staff is a reflection of moral clarity. Axel Springer's Essentials have guided the company since 1967, and supporting Israel's right to exist is a foundational value, not a political imposition. A media company setting clear editorial principles and expecting employees to align with them marks responsible leadership.

Henshi on X Axel Springer