Axel Springer chief tells staff company’s pro-Israel values are ‘non-negotiable’ amid Politico backlash
Politico parent company boss says employees uncomfortable with support for Israel’s right to exist should consider working elsewhere
The chief executive of Politico’s parent company has defended Axel Springer’s long-standing support for Israel’s right to exist after concerns were raised by journalists at the US political outlet over his public commentary on the Middle East.
Mathias Döpfner, chief executive of the German media giant, told staff during an internal meeting that employees who disagree with the company’s core values – known internally as “the essentials” – may be better suited to another workplace.
According to Jewish Insider, which obtained audio of the discussion, Döpfner told staff: “Nobody should work for Axel Springer despite the essentials or in disagreement with one of the essentials.”
He added: “If the essentials are not attractive, if the essentials are not a magnet, if the essentials are not a reason why to work for this company, I can only recommend working for other companies.”
The comments came during a 40-minute meeting with Politico employees following complaints from journalists over opinion pieces Döpfner had written for the publication. Staff reportedly argued that his views risked undermining Politico’s reputation for editorial neutrality.
The row centres on Axel Springer’s corporate principles, which include support for Israel’s right to exist as part of the company’s stated values. The Berlin-based publisher, which also owns German newspaper Bild and US outlet Business Insider, has long described those principles as central to its identity.
In the discussion, Döpfner pushed back against criticism that his views could influence Politico’s newsroom, insisting there was a clear distinction between his personal opinions and editorial decision-making.
He said he intended to continue writing opinion pieces and defended comments he had made about Iran, arguing that describing the regime as an aggressor was justified.
“The wording is more of a euphemism,” Döpfner said. “We should rather say they’re terrorists, or they are mass murderers.”
He also addressed wider debates around Zionism, telling staff that Axel Springer viewed the term as linked to Jewish self-determination and Israel’s existence as a refuge for Jews.
“If that is something that somebody wants to question, then we are really reaching the very fundamental principles of our values,” he said.
The internal disagreement reportedly followed a letter from Politico staff sent to incoming editor-in-chief Jonathan Greenberger, questioning whether Döpfner’s recent columns blurred the line between corporate leadership and journalism.
Greenberger, who takes over the role this week, defended both editorial independence and the company’s values during the meeting.
“He’s not going to tell me what to do,” Greenberger said of Döpfner. “He’s a resource, and I appreciate that.”
Greenberger also said Axel Springer’s principles reflected the company’s post-war origins in Germany and its support for democratic values and Israel.
He told staff the company was founded “in the rubble of World War II” and said its values recognised Israel’s role as a “safe haven” for Jews after the Holocaust.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between editorial staff at Politico and its German parent company, which acquired the publication in 2021.
Axel Springer has repeatedly described support for Israel’s right to exist as one of its “non-negotiable” principles, while stressing that criticism of Israeli government policy remains compatible with those values.
A spokesperson for Axel Springer said the discussion helped clarify the company’s position.
“We appreciate internal discussions like this, because they help clarify our principles and editorial independence and our non-negotiable values, which we call the Essentials,” the spokesperson told Jewish Insider.
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