Mathias Dopfner, the Chief Executive Officer of Axel Springer and owner of The Telegraph and Politico said something interesting in a speech. He was talking to the World Jewish Congress governing board, in Geneva on Monday, May 11. Mathias Dopfner told them that Europe must become more Jewish. Dopfner told the assembled leadership that anti-Zionism constitutes racism and called for preferential immigration rights for Jewish families across the continent. The remarks drew immediate attention given Dopfner’s prominent role as one of Europe’s most influential media owners.
Addressing the Congress, Dopfner positioned himself explicitly as a non-Jewish supporter of Israel. “I’m a goy, and I’m Zionist, with all my heart, out of conviction, and with passion,” he said, using the Hebrew term for a non-Jewish person.
The speech talked about a lot of things including what the government should do about people moving to the country rules for social media and what Dopfner said is a increasing dislike of Israel in Western institutions. The speech covered topics like immigration policy and social media regulation. Dopfner also talked about the growing hostility toward Israel, in institutions. He argued that anti-Zionism is “spreading rapidly across the United States, throughout Europe, in universities, in the arts and culture scene, on social media and on the streets of our cities, in words and in deeds,” according to Middle East Eye, which published a detailed account of the address.
Dopfner acknowledged that criticism of Israel is not “forbidden” but contended it should not occur “every day.” He alleged that countries including Germany, France, England, and Spain are “no longer truly safe countries for Jews” as a result of such criticism.
“Today, Zionism is a dirty word to many,” he said.
On immigration policy, Dopfner urged European governments to introduce preferential pathways to citizenship for Jewish families, framing the measure as a counterweight to what he described as “Christian and particularly Muslim influences” in Europe. He also called for the expulsion of anti-Zionists “wherever legally possible,” equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism throughout his remarks.
Dopfner praised United Kingdom Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, stating she had advanced proposals along similar lines that “every democratic country” should adopt. He also directed criticism at the UK Green Party, which has taken public positions against Israeli military operations in Gaza.
“In England, members of the Green Party, which most disturbingly mixes climate activism with antisemitism, say Zionism is racism. There must be a misunderstanding here. It is not Zionism that is racism. It is anti-Zionism that is racism,” he said, according to Middle East Eye.
The Axel Springer chief also called on European governments to follow the United States in forcing a sale of TikTok to non-Chinese owners. “In America, TikTok has been forced to be sold to non-Chinese owners,” he said, adding that “Europe should follow this example.” He argued that failure to confront anti-Zionism would mean the West “will destroy itself.”
Dopfner attacked the UN Human Rights Council in the same address, accusing it of unfairly targeting Israel by documenting what the Council has described as war crimes and human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. He referred to the body as the “human rights Twistings Council.”
The speech comes weeks after Dopfner made headlines in April when he told journalists at Politico that they must support Israel or resign, a statement that raised questions among press freedom advocates about editorial independence at the outlet. Axel Springer acquired Politico in 2021.
The World Jewish Congress event in Geneva brought together the Congress’s governing board alongside participants from the Jewish Leadership Conference and the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly. Middle East Eye reported that the gathering focused in part on what participants described as rising criticism of Israel and called for broader efforts to counter it.
Dopfner’s remarks are likely to generate sustained debate about the boundaries between editorial positions and proprietorial influence at major news organisations. The Telegraph, currently under Axel Springer ownership, is one of the United Kingdom’s largest-circulation broadsheet newspapers.
His call for preferential Jewish immigration to Europe will also draw scrutiny from policymakers and civil liberties groups, as such a framework would constitute formal religious discrimination in citizenship law — a step that would conflict with constitutional protections in several EU member states.
European governments and the EU Commission had not issued formal responses to Dopfner’s remarks as of May 13.
Axel Springer has not announced any changes to the way The Telegraph and Politico will be edited after the speech in Geneva. Axel Springer is still doing things the way, at The Telegraph and Politico. Politico’s editorial staff is expected to face renewed questions from press freedom organisations about the outlet’s independence in the weeks ahead.
