In 2020, Swedish state media painted Ali Salum and his Syrian refugee family as an example of successful integration. Five years later, the now 15-year-old is on trial for attempted murder, accused of shooting a classmate in the head inside a school toilet at Trångsund School in Huddinge.
The trial, which began on Thursday, is expected to last three days, concluding on Jan. 22. Salum is charged with attempted murder, preparation for murder, and aggravated weapons offenses.
During police interrogations, Ali Salum initially denied responsibility, claiming instead that his classmate had attempted suicide.
“He wanted to commit suicide before,” Salum said during a police interrogation.
However, under further questioning, he changed his account, stating that the incident was merely a “warning shot.” His victim vehemently denied the suicide claim, calling it “a pure lie.”
“He aimed at the mouth and then the head. So he did it on purpose,” the survivor told police.
The Samnytt news site reported that investigators also suspect that Salum may have targeted the wrong person — though the intended victim remains unclear — and that the Syrian minor was instructed by a criminal gang to shoot at an apartment door and blow up a gate in separate incidents, possibly as an initiation.
The defendant claimed that the group assured him they had police protection and that if he were caught, he was supposed to say specific code words such as “beach ball” to secure his release.
There are further suspicions that a 14-year-old accomplice may have orchestrated the attack. However, due to his age, the younger boy cannot be formally charged. He has been questioned by police and denied any involvement.
Ali Salum was born in Aleppo, Syria, and arrived in Sweden with his parents and three siblings during the 2015 migrant crisis. The Swedish Migration Agency confirmed that his family had sought asylum.
In 2019, Salum became a Swedish citizen, while his father was granted citizenship in 2023. His mother’s application, however, was denied.
Notably, Swedish public broadcaster Sveriges Radio previously interviewed Ali Salum and his family in 2020, portraying them as an example of successful integration. The family had described their struggles with housing, moving five times before finally purchasing a home in Skogås.
“Father and mother bought a house so that I wouldn’t have to move too many times,” a 10-year-old Ali Salum said at the time.
Bishop Antonio Suetta Diocese of Ventimiglia-San Remo
Last week Bishop Antonio Suetta of San Remo-Ventimiglia told an Italian newspaper that Catholicism and Islam are two very different religions.
The interview given by Bishop Suetta to Il Tempo on January 6, 2025, is a rare example of episcopal clarity and courage. In a time when the fear of contradicting the dominant thought seems to have silenced much of the Catholic episcopate, Bishop Suetta’s words resonate as a gesture of hope for many faithful, especially in Italy.
It is not an exaggeration to say that his intervention stands out in an ecclesiastical context – the Italian one – now negatively influenced by the proximity to Rome, which has long been occupied by neo-modernists who have turned their positions of responsibility into centers for the dissemination of doctrinal ambiguities and pastoral drifts, if not outright heresies. The hope is that Bishop Suetta does not suffer a fate similar to that of Bishop Rey of Fréjus-Toulon in France, who was recently removed from his position for openly defending the liturgical tradition.
Among the most incisive points of the interview is the statement that Christianity and Islam are not equal religions. This is an evident fact for anyone with a minimum of theological and historical knowledge. Indeed, it should always be kept in mind that Islam should be considered a heresy of Christianity, and therefore a degeneration of it. However, the differences between the two religions go far beyond doctrine: they are reflected in their political and social consequences. Just look at the case of Molenbeek, in Brussels, a now predominantly Islamic municipality where sharia is effectively applied, making this area a legal anomaly compared to the rest of Belgium. The irony is that this happens in the very seat of the European Union, an institution that has promoted relativism and extreme multiculturalism.
Bishop Suetta, without mincing words, the day after the chaotic New Year’s celebrations in Milan, during which many Islamic immigrants insulted Italy and chanted “Allāhu Akbar,” gave a warning to those who continue to claim that all religions are equal. “Equating religions is an insult to intelligence,” he stated. This is a phrase that will make many frown, but it expresses an undeniable truth. Let no one, especially in the Vatican, feel offended.
Bishop Suetta had the courage to denounce an ecumenism that descends into syncretism. To be honest, Pope Francis has been one of the main promoters of this trend, explicitly supporting (see the Abu Dhabi Declaration of February 4, 2019) that all religions lead to God equally. This approach, which appears to be more a form of interfaith diplomacy than genuine Christian charity, has created deep discomfort and embarrassment among millions of faithful worldwide.
Muslims, for their part, have no hesitation in proclaiming the superiority of their faith and asserting that their ultimate goal is the Islamization of the world. This contrast is as evident as it is disheartening. While Islam makes no concessions, the Catholic world, with rare exceptions like Bishop Suetta, seems committed to dismantling its own identity.
Another fundamental aspect of the interview concerns the emphasis placed by Bishop Suetta on the duties of migrants. In an era where rights seem to dominate every discourse, it is comforting to hear a bishop recall what is taught by the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.
Immigration cannot be a one-way process where migrants simply claim rights without any commitment to integration. This approach perfectly aligns with what the Church has taught regarding immigration since the time of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Aquinas, in his Summa Theologiae (I-II, q. 105, art. 3), presents one of the most profound and realistic analyses ever elaborated on this topic. The great Doctor of the Church distinguishes between different types of immigrants, emphasizing that hospitality must be ordered to the common good. Not all immigrants are equal, and nations have the right to regulate immigration based on its compatibility with the country’s values and needs.
St. Thomas cites Aristotle, reminding us that integration is a long process that can take two or three generations. The indiscriminate admission of foreigners could endanger the common good, especially if they do not develop a strong attachment to the host nation.
Bishop Suetta touched a raw nerve when he spoke about Muslim immigration. European history is marked by centuries of conflicts with Islam, which has constantly sought to expand on the continent. Events such as the battles of Poitiers (732), Lepanto (1571), Vienna (1683), and others are testimonies to the price paid to defend Christianity. Ignoring this historical reality is equivalent to denying the evidence.
The idea that Muslim immigration is simply a humanitarian issue is naive and dangerous. As Bishop Suetta reminded us, Europe (and the entire Western world, which has lost its Christian origins) must be vigilant. We must prevent cities from becoming outposts of sharia.
Bishop Antonio Suetta’s interview is a call to properly understand the natural right to immigration in a time of great confusion on this and other issues. His frankness represents a breath of fresh air for many Catholics, particularly Italians, who often feel abandoned by a clergy too careful not to contradict political correctness.
The bishop’s courage is a shining example of what it means to be a true shepherd: not fearing to proclaim the truth, even at the cost of facing persecution – from both outside and within the Church.
Do British intelligence agencies work with discredited, far-left groups such as Hope Not Hate? Why are progressives attracted to low testosterone men? On this week’s #NCFDeprogrammed, Harrison Pitt and Connor Tomlinson host a thought-provoking discussion with Raw Egg Nationalist, author of multiple books on health and fitness, and publisher of The Man’s World magazine, website and store. He is founder of the Kindred Harvest food company and also featured in Tucker Carlson’s documentary The End of Men. Raw Egg Nationalist’s latest book, “The Eggs Benedict Option”, is the ultimate guide to the Great Reset plan for food, and how we can resist it and usher in a new pro-human future. The book is available now from antelopehillpublishing.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other third-party retailers.
A Swiss LGBT activist has quietly launched a new “family counseling” practice while under investigation for offenses related to sexually exploiting minors at the Queer youth charity he co-founded with his husband.
In 2024, Swiss prosecutors opened an investigation into a gay couple for alleged abuses they committed while operating the Sozialwerk.LGBT+ group, a “safe space” for “queer youth.” While their identities were initially withheld by the Swiss press, Reduxx quickly identified the men as being Holger Niggemann and his husband, Björn Niggemann.
The Niggemanns co-founded the organization, receiving financial support from local governments, the city of Chur, and various non-profit foundations to work with children as young as 13.
🚨BREAKING🚨
A gay couple who ran a Swiss LGBT youth group have been accused of sexually exploiting two teen boys in their care.
Holger and Björn Niggemann received government funding to work with children as young as 13.https://t.co/1yavp0z2Ty
Last April, local media interviewed fifteen individuals who had come into contact with the Niggemann’s through Sozialwerk.LGBT+, but the vast majority opted for anonymity, citing fears of being threatened or pursued by the couple.
Holger, 42, is alleged to have had sexual contact with two 17-year-olds who had sought help for bullying with his organization. Holger was a board member of the group at the time, while his husband Björn was the business manager. The two men are said to have had a three-way sexual relationship with one of the teens, a 17-year old boy, according to a report by Tages-Anzeiger.
According to statements from the teenage victim, he moved in with the married couple while he was still a minor. Distressed at what was reportedly an abusive situation, the 17-year-old wrote on social media that he was in a “a toxic, polyamorous relationship, and it’s tearing me apart.” He also communicated that “when this is over, I’ll have to get my brain fixed. I can’t take it anymore. I will end it.”
Numerous documents are said to substantiate what happened in the group, including text messages, emails and voice messages, reports Tages-Anzeiger. Other board members of Sozialwerk.LGBT+ also came forward to speak to press and confirm their knowledge of what had been happening.
Daniel Huber, a former board member of the association, reported the couple to public prosecutor Annina Grob, and made a statement to media condemning the Niggemanns for their behavior towards the vulnerable youth in their care.
A box filled with BDSM equipment and sex toys was kept at the youth center in Chur. Photo: Tages-Anzeiger
“For us, the behavior of the two is a total abuse of power, and the young people also felt that way. I brought it up again and again,” said Huber, who attended the meetings as a teenager before joining the board in a leadership role. “It is important not to look away from such behavior.”
According to former board members who spoke to press, the Niggemann’s sexual relationship with the boy also led to heated discussions within the organization.
“That this relationship was completely inappropriate from both a professional and moral standpoint was clear to everyone. But one of them could [argue] extremely well. I suddenly felt very conservative for opposing it,” one person said, alleging that one of the Niggemann’s had emotionally or politically manipulated other members of the organization into staying silent about the sexual impropriety.
As the discussions among the board members became increasingly heated, Holger and Björn sent long text messages to colleagues, aiming to justify their behavior.
“In public child and youth work, it was common for a long time for youth workers to have sexual contact with young people,” one of the Niggemann’s reportedly claimed. “In Berlin, street children were placed with pedophilic offenders until the 1990s because only these people could love children,” he went on to say, referring to the Kentler Project in Germany, an experiment which placed foster children into the homes of pedophiles.
Sexuality was apparently a recurring theme in Holger’s approach to youth work. Several individuals report that Sozialwerk.LGBT+ had a “sexualized atmosphere” despite catering to children. The Niggemann’s reportedly often offered teenagers a box full of sex toys like dildos, leather straps, bondage gear, whips, or anal plugs.
Following the allegations of child sexual abuse with pending legal proceedings against Holger and Björn,Sozialwerk.LGBT+ dissolved. “Given the circumstances, the youth center (…) can no longer function as a safe space for young people,” declared the then-chairwoman, Viktoriya Schiefer.
Prior to the 2024 revelations, Holger’s other organization, treffLGBT+, had already been facing criticism for instructing youth to use terms like “fuck holes” and “front holes” for vaginas, to emphasize “intended function.”
On his website, Holger specifies that he should be referred to using the pronouns “sier,” denoting his non-binary identity, and underscores that counseling children and adolescents on partnerships and sexuality has always been a key focus for him.
While Holger has refused to comment on his new venture to Tages-Anzeiger, his attorney has confirmed that he is legally permitted to establish and operate his office, where he also offers family counseling. The fee for a 90-minute session ranges from 100 to 150 Swiss Francs (approximately 100 to 160 US dollars).
In December of 2024, Reduxx received a notice from the attorney representing the Niggemanns demanding the deletion or significant amendment of our April 2024 article on the case, stating that a civil suit or criminal charges would be pursued unless we complied. We have not.
The alleged incidents at Sozialwerk.LGBT+ is not the first instance where an organization focused on “LGBT+ youth” has been accused of enabling the abuse of vulnerable adolescents. As previously reported by Reduxx, two men from Scotland reported that they were groomed and sexually exploited as minors while utilizing services provided by LGBT Youth Scotland.
EXCLUSIVE: Two survivors have come forward to allege they were "groomed" and sexually exploited as minors while using the services of LGBT Youth Scotland.
The charity was formerly run by a gay rights campaigner convicted of raping an infant.https://t.co/fLESmMs5vi
LGBT Youth Scotland, originally known as the Stonewall Youth Project, is recognized as Scotland’s national charity dedicated to “LGBTI young people.” It engages with individuals aged 13 to 25, offering programs in schools, organizations, and businesses.
The charity was established in 1989 and rebranded in 2003, coinciding with the appointment of James Rennie as CEO, who was convicted and sentenced to lifelong restrictions in 2009 for running what was labeled as Scotland’s “largest pedophile network.”
Milanese authorities have arrested one Egyptian national and are on the lookout for nine other men of North African origin in connection with the gang rape of a 19-year-old student who was partying at a nightclub with her boyfriend on the weekend.
The brutal attack occurred outside the Alcatraz club in the northern Italian city in the early hours of Saturday morning at around 4 a.m.
Il Giornale reported the victim and her boyfriend had stepped outside the club and stopped near a supermarket parking lot when they were accosted by a gang of 10 people whom the teen believes to have been of “North African origin.”
The gang initially sought to steal her boyfriend’s mobile phone and wallet, but when he resisted they targeted the young female and grabbed her purse. When she fought back, the assailants surrounded her and she was reportedly raped.
The security team at the nearby nightclub heard her screaming and intervened before alerting the authorities. One of the men was apprehended by security and subsequently arrested upon arrival of the police. He has been identified as 36-year-old Egyptian national Hassan Mansour Hassan Mohamed.
The remaining nine assailants escaped, although a second man, a 20-year-old Egyptian national, was also later identified and he is under investigation.
The authorities are using the club’s CCTV footage to ascertain what happened and to try and identify the remaining attackers.
Describing her “night of terror,” Remix News reported on an interview given last week by a young Belgian woman who celebrated New Year’s Eve in the Italian city, only to be sexually assaulted by young Arabs.
Milanese authorities have arrested one Egyptian national and are on the lookout for nine other men of North African origin in connection with the gang rape of a 19-year-old student who was partying at a nightclub with her boyfriend on the weekend.
The brutal attack occurred outside the Alcatraz club in the northern Italian city in the early hours of Saturday morning at around 4 a.m.
Il Giornale reported the victim and her boyfriend had stepped outside the club and stopped near a supermarket parking lot when they were accosted by a gang of 10 people whom the teen believes to have been of “North African origin.”
The gang initially sought to steal her boyfriend’s mobile phone and wallet, but when he resisted they targeted the young female and grabbed her purse. When she fought back, the assailants surrounded her and she was reportedly raped.
The security team at the nearby nightclub heard her screaming and intervened before alerting the authorities. One of the men was apprehended by security and subsequently arrested upon arrival of the police. He has been identified as 36-year-old Egyptian national Hassan Mansour Hassan Mohamed.
The remaining nine assailants escaped, although a second man, a 20-year-old Egyptian national, was also later identified and he is under investigation.
The authorities are using the club’s CCTV footage to ascertain what happened and to try and identify the remaining attackers.
Describing her “night of terror,” Remix News reported on an interview given last week by a young Belgian woman who celebrated New Year’s Eve in the Italian city, only to be sexually assaulted by young Arabs.
“We were harassed there. They touched us over our clothes, but also underneath,” 21-year-old Laura told Belgian news site 7s7. “Three of us, including myself, were sexually assaulted. They put their hands in my underwear. It went way too far.”
The most recent assault has intensified political debate about crime and immigration in Milan, with Silvia Sardone, a Lega MEP and Milan city councilor, condemning the growing prevalence of sexual violence involving foreign criminals.
“This is yet another very serious episode in Milan after the collective harassment in the square on New Year’s Eve,” Sardone said. “Faced with this emergency, Mayor [Giuseppe] Sala responds by minimizing the facts, saying that we need to think. Yet we are faced with a vision of women, considered as objects to be abused, which is increasingly widespread among foreign criminals and in Islamic communities.”
Sardone also referenced a previous controversy involving Minister Giuseppe Valditara, who linked irregular immigration to rising sexual violence cases, citing interior ministry data. “The left called him racist, yet the reality speaks for itself: In Milan, over 62 percent of these crimes are committed by non-Italians,” she stated.
She accused left-wing politicians of double standards, saying: “For the left, if the attackers are foreigners, the crimes are treated as less serious. This is unacceptable reverse racism and an insult to the victims.”
In the early hours of Wednesday morning ( January 15), a 17-year-old with a behavioural problem attacked officers of the state police on an intercity express train coming from Essen and then – during his arrest – assaulted federal police officers and slightly injured several officers. After fleeing across the tracks at the main railway station, he was apprehended during a manhunt.
On Intercity Express 821 (Essen – Munich), a train attendant drew the attention of two officers from the Bavarian state police to a man displaying unusual behaviour. The 17-year-old German was harassing fellow travellers, including by means of Islamic prayers. When approached, the native Rhinelander behaved extremely uncooperatively. Instead of identifying himself and showing a ticket, he shouted loudly and jumped onto a table in the compartment. In the subsequent attempt to calm him down and stop his behaviour, he physically attacked the two officers, spat at them, insulted them and slightly injured them.
After the arrival of the long-distance train at Munich Central Station, the situation shifted to the platform at tracks 20/21 at around 00:40 a.m. The 17-year-old escaped from the train and fled across the tracks while the officers cut off the path to the cross platform. At platform 21, he entered the track area and crawled under a train parked on platform 22 in the direction of the Starnberg station.
During a search near the crime scene, federal police officers spotted the fugitive, who had previously left the station area via platform 36. After hearing noises in a bush near a fence outside Starnberg station, the 17-year-old was kneeling in the bushes. In a prayer position, he played music or prayer-like recordings on a mobile phone.
When he was arrested, he resisted the federal police officers and physically attacked them with punches and kicks. He also used threats and insults. It was only possible to overpower the 17-year-old with considerable effort and with reinforcements. Two officers were slightly injured during the arrest; however, they were able to continue their duties. The trousers of another officer prevented an injury after the 17-year-old tried to bite the officer’s thigh.
The 17-year-old will be brought before a magistrate today for assaulting and resisting law enforcement officers, assault, threatening, insulting and fare evasion. Due to his behaviour, he was admitted to a psychiatric clinic during the night.
A scare on Tuesday evening at the petrol station in Rue des États-Généraux in the heart of Versailles (Yvelines). At around 9.45 pm, a man came to this small Total petrol station in the city centre, just a few steps away from the town hall and the castle. There he approached a driver who was refuelling. He demanded that he hand over his vehicle and appeared extremely threatening.
He demanded of his victim, a 20-year-old man from Paris, ‘Give me your car or I’ll cut your throat’. The stranger escalated his threat by saying: ‘This is my battle today’ and that he was ready to ‘blow up the petrol station’, according to a police source. He then began reciting suras from the Quran and shouting ‘Allahu akbar’.
[…] The 30-year-old from Versailles, who has been taken into police custody, is to be questioned and medically examined again to determine his mental state. The diagnosis will determine the next steps in the case, which involves glorification of terrorism, repeated death threats and attempted robbery.
On Tuesday the 14th of January, another theft occurred in the cathedral of Nevers. The damage does not appear to be extensive, but the parishioners feel angry above all.
Sainte-Julitte Cathedral in Nevers was the target of a break-in on Tuesday the 14th of January between 12pm and 2pm. It was Pierre-Éric Durand, a volunteer at the cathedral and responsible for security issues in the diocese, who became aware of the offence.
As he was restocking the candlesticks with candles, he realised that the counter at the entrance to the cathedral had been broken into. Three padlocks had been broken and removed. However, the loot was small. The drawer of the counter had been opened, but very little was stolen from inside. Jean-Michel Drugeon from the association Regard sur la cathédrale de Nevers and head of the commission for sacred art in the diocese of Nevers says: ‘Probably books or postcards’.
The cash box affected by the theft was also moved slightly. The police have been called in to investigate. A report will be filed.
On site, the police hypothesised. A bolt cutter? A pair of pliers? An investigation is being launched. In any case, it does not appear to be a more casual theft. ‘The time chosen is not insignificant, nor is the method of theft,’ say the cathedral officials who were present at the scene.
What annoys Jean-Michel Drugeon even more is the damage. ‘It’s a huge outrage. It sucks.’
Asylum seekers in the state of Lower Austria are complaining about the introduction of a payment card system for benefits, claiming the scheme isn’t currently fit for purpose and is too restrictive.
The newcomers to Austria have the advocacy support of left-wing NGO “Together Halt NÖ,” which held a press conference on Tuesday to demand changes to the payment card system, which had initially been introduced as part of a pilot project aimed at reducing misuse of state funds by restricting cash withdrawals and transfers.
Since November last year, around 1,000 asylum seekers have been obligated to use prepaid cards, which provide €5.71 per day to cover essential needs such as hygiene products. Other essential subsistence such as food, accommodation, and medical care are all provided for by the state at reception centers.
While the Freedom Party (FPÖ), which governs the state in coalition with the center-right ÖVP, has defended the policy as effective and necessary, NGOs argue that it imposes undue hardship on those already in vulnerable situations, restricting them to making purchases only from eligible traders.
“Our goal is to prevent illegal immigration into the social system,” said Christoph Luisser, FPÖ State Councilor for Integration, emphasizing that the initiative prioritizes accountability to taxpayers. The system also ensures that funds are spent on essential goods, with purchases limited to specific stores such as Spar, Billa, and Penny.
State party deputy chairman Udo Landbauer echoed this sentiment, defending the card as part of a broader strategy to impose strict rules for asylum seekers in Lower Austria. “We are sending a clear signal that our social system is not intended for those who want to make themselves comfortable in the social hammock,” he said.
Together Halt NÖ, however, calls the system ineffective, telling attendees at Tuesday’s press conference of the difficulties migrants are facing using the cards.
“An enormous amount of effort is being made for 1,035 people, which is neither justified nor effective,” its co-founder Gundi Dick stated.
Heute reported how the NGO shared testimonies from asylum seekers. One individual reported that the daily allowance is insufficient to cover basic needs and that the restriction to certain stores prevents access to cheaper options. “There isn’t enough money for one day. It’s also difficult to afford transportation to places like St. Pölten for German courses or appointments,” the respondent explained, suggesting their issue was not limited to accessibility but that they wanted a higher sum from the Austrian state.
Critics also argued that the payment card undermines efforts to integrate asylum seekers into Austrian society. Retired professor Dr. Sieglinde Rosenberger stated that integration is a two-way process requiring both migrants and the host society to actively participate. “This process is currently no longer happening in Lower Austria,” she claimed.
Left-wing activists even went so far as to argue that the system violates human rights, with Lisa Sterzinger of the NGO claiming it “contradicts the right to a standard of living that ensures health and well-being” and contributes to negative stereotypes about migrant mistrust, fueling stigmatization.
FPÖ representatives remain steadfast in their support of the policy, framing it as a necessary measure to deter abuse and prioritize Austrian taxpayers. “Actual refugees are grateful for food, shelter, and medical care. In this context, the benefit-in-kind card fulfills exactly its purpose,” Luisser concluded.
Far-left banker Matthieu Pigasse (pictured here with dictator Denis Sassou Nguesso): ‘I want to involve the media I control in the fight against the radical right’. Screengrab
The year 2024 was marked in France by a rare campaign against media owned by the conservative Catholic billionaire Vincent Bolloré. His media outlets were accused of disseminating false information, manipulating opinion, and breaching the ethics of ‘journalistic neutrality.’ But it seems the rules are not the same for everyone: at the start of 2025, the French left-wing media have no qualms about publicly unveiling their agenda to control public opinion—this time, on their terms and in the service of their ideas—and they see no reason to be concerned about it.
The French media—particularly the press and television—have over the last few years undergone a massive process of consolidation and are now in the hands of a few large fortunes that own and more or less tightly control the majority of the private press outlets and television channels, which also receive public funding.
In this landscape, one man has set about methodically shattering the consensus of political correctness: Vincent Bolloré. Born into an old Breton family known for its involvement in the service of Free France during the Second World War, and with deep roots in the Brittany region, Bolloré has built a reputation as a solid man who cares little about what people say—or about pressure from the mainstream media.
With his undeniable business acumen, he runs successful companies, which, in the eyes of the Left, is one of his greatest flaws. In recent years, he has focused on the media, building a small empire that allows him to broadcast an alternative viewpoint to that of public service outlets. After setting his sights on television with the CNews channel, which has become France’s leading news channel ahead of the established BFM TV channel, he has conquered prime positions in radio with the Europe 1 station. Finally, he challenged the print media by buying the widely circulated Le Journal du Dimanche, typically used by politicians of all stripes to communicate with the French public through interviews.
Crimes such as these are not easily forgiven by the dominant media court. Throughout 2024, the attacks on the ‘Bolloré galaxy’ multiplied, to the point of leading to a parliamentary enquiry into its ‘actions’ and the danger it allegedly represents to French democracy. His group’s media outlets have been hit with a host of sanctions, including warnings from the ARCOM media regulatory authority and the eviction of one of his channels from the DTT network.
Bolloré has taken note of this decision but is not a man to be taken lightly. In retaliation, Bolloré announced that he was withdrawing all his pay-TV channels from DTT—including those that had not been convicted—thus saving more than €20 million each year in fees and taxes. Bolloré is a free man, and his dazzling success obviously gives him the means to achieve this freedom.
The owner of CNews has also become the prime target of attacks by the leftist media, draped in the dignified toga of the defender of democracy in danger. And any means are justified to accomplish this supposedly noble goal—including the use of the very weapons they accuse their adversary of employing.
Case in point: on Monday, January 13th, a lengthy interview with newspaper owner Matthieu Pigasse by left-wing newspaper Libération. Pigasse, a former investment banker, is a key figure in the French media landscape since he is the co-owner of the newspaper Le Monde, considered in France to be the daily reference in management circles. In this interview, Pigasse reveals his game with startling clarity. He explains: “I want to bring the media I control into the fight against the radical right.”
Nous sommes arrivés à un moment critique, avec une polarisation extrême entre deux conceptions du monde : une, ouverte et progressiste, et une autre, fermée, qui repose sur la fermeture des frontières, la fermeture des esprits et le rejet de l’autre. Cette vision est portée par… pic.twitter.com/raVuaY9gXB
Every word of this statement needs to be weighed and assessed at its true value. Such words from Vincent Bolloré would have caused a major scandal. “I want”; “the media I control”; “the fight.” The objective is clearly stated, the ideological offensive carried out without shame or hidden agenda. Pigasse openly acknowledges what everyone already knows: the left-wing press, which hides behind the label of a generalist press with supposedly benevolent neutrality, is waging a merciless war against ideas it deems ‘nauseating.’ But he has the right to do so because he is on the side of ‘good’—which is obviously not the case with Bolloré.
Matthieu Pigasse produces a number of news programmes on the French public television network, including “C à vous,”“C ce soir,” and “C dans l’air,” with another media magnate, Xavier Niel, a former friend of socialist President François Mitterrand. He has no qualms about “controlling” the journalists who appear on these programmes, which are also publicly funded, and putting “his financial interests at the service of his ideas.” Neutrality is clearly not a requirement for everyone.
Pigasse is revealing his cards because he has a vague feeling that the game is not as easy to play as it used to be. At the global level, the tide is turning under the blows of a triad he denounces, “MMT”—for Milei, Musk, and Trump. In Europe, Musk’s management of the X platform is forcing the European Union authorities, destabilised by a discourse that is no longer unequivocal, to openly admit that they, too, want to control public opinion.
In France, the conservative camp, strengthened by the success of Bolloré and his emulators, no longer intends to let this happen. Last summer, the activist group Les Corsaires, fighting for freedom of expression, attacked the TMC channel and its mainstream programme “Quotidien”—known for its merciless treatment of right-wing contributors—for its misleading coverage of a press conference by Jordan Bardella. Les Corsaires succeeded in obtaining at the very least a formal reprimand from ARCOM against the presenter, on the grounds that he “violated the integrity of the information.”
This week, MEP Laurence Trochu, who belongs to the Identité-Libertés movement founded by Marion Maréchal, referred the Matthieu Pigasse interview to ARCOM, the media regulatory authority, since Pigasse admits to using French people’s money to support his own ideological struggle.
Will ARCOM go after Matthieu Pigasse, a prey of a different calibre than the “Quotidien” host? It is to be feared that he will not be disturbed and that he will continue to receive public funds for the media he ‘controls,’ which dutifully distil the authorised doctrine. But let’s rejoice: we can already say that the dominant consensus of political correctness has now been broken.
