Questions Raised Over Alleged Use of โคAlice Weidel’s Texts by “The European“
Recent reports โคhave brought into question โขthe sourcing practices of “The European,” โa publicationโค within the Weimer Media Group, specifically regarding texts attributed to Alice Weidel, a prominent โคpolitician from the AfD party. The controversy centers onโฃ whether speechesโค andโค statements byโค Weidel were published without her authorization.
The situation unfolded after Alexander Wallasch‘s initial reporting, subsequently covered by “Nius.” “The European” responded withโ a “clarification,” assertingโค that editorialโ responsibility โฃrests solely โขwith the editor-in-chief – a role heldโ successively โby Alexander โคGรถrlach, Oswald Metzger (formerly โof the SPD, Greens, and nowโข CDU), and Stefan Groร-lobkowicz. The publicationโฃ defendedโค its practice โof publishingโค politicians’ speeches with sourceโข attribution,stating this was standard practice prior โขto its 2021โข relaunch.
Though,โ the claimโ ofโ standard practice is disputed, as serious media outlets generally do not publish politicians’ โขspeeches and โstatementsโ in this manner.
Following the reports, “The European” removed numerous texts, including those specifically attributed to Weidel and other authors.โ According to Ansgar Graw, the current editor of “The European,” the initial removal of Weidel’s โpublications from โข2017-2020 โoccurred after Weidel stated sheโ had not authorized โtheir โขpublication.This led to a broader review, and subsequently the removal of all author profiles to investigate the origins of contentโ dating back overโ 15 years.
The Ministry of โขCulture, previously headed by Weimer, declined to comment โon the matter,โ directing โคinquiries to the weimer Media Group.Notably, Weimer โwithdrew from management โof the Weimer Media groupโ inโ april, with his wife, christiane Goetz-Weimer, now โฃserving as the โsole โคmanaging director.
“The European” acknowledged that in some instances, sources may not haveโฃ been citedโฃ and expressed regret for any such omissions.โข Texts from before the 2021 platform relaunch were described as “largely deleted” at that time.
