Rightwing media outlet NIUS fuels culture war tensions in Germany

Julian Reichelt, the former Bild editor dismissed amid scandal, has reemerged as the face of NIUS, a controversial rightwing online platform stirring political and cultural tensions in Germany. Leading a tour through NIUS’s Berlin headquarters — an old brick building once rumoured to be a toilet factory — Reichelt quips that the symbolism is not lost on his critics.

As pointedc out in an article published by the Financial Times, founded two years ago and branded as “the voice of the majority”, NIUS operates with just 43 staff and fewer than 6,000 paying subscribers, but it punches far above its weight in influence. Despite ongoing financial losses, it is backed by conservative businessman and CDU donor Frank Gotthardt. Its daily YouTube show attracts around 250,000 viewers and regularly features anti-immigration rhetoric, climate skepticism, and attacks on “woke” culture.

NIUS recently played a central role in derailing the appointment of law professor Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf to Germany’s constitutional court. The outlet ran 20 negative stories about her in the nine days preceding the scheduled vote, according to political consultancy Polisphere. These reports, some containing false allegations, focused heavily on her perceived stance on abortion — which she denies advocating for beyond late pregnancy.

The backlash forced the government to cancel the Bundestag vote, fracturing the ruling coalition and prompting CDU leader Friedrich Merz to denounce the “unacceptable” campaign as “massive personal defamation.” Reichelt both mocked and embraced the idea of his influence: “I think it’s what the left in this culture war always claims as soon as they’re losing,” he said, but also added, “I am more than willing to take the credit for shaping the debate. And I am very proud of that. I love it.”

Though Reichelt denies collusion with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), critics point to a pattern of aligned messaging and shared content. He dismisses these claims, saying, “I’ve never collaborated with any politician in my life.” Still, NIUS’s content is frequently amplified by AfD figures. Reichelt maintains a provocative stance: “I don’t think it’s a Nazi party,” he said of the AfD, calling the cross-party pact to avoid collaboration with them “an insane concept.”

Critics, like Green MP Andreas Audretsch, argue that Reichelt’s motivations are both personal and political, shaped by a belief that “left-wing culture wars destroyed his career.” Audretsch warns: “He seems to think that, if he is able to destroy the system and the rules of our society, then something else will emerge.”

Reichelt denies seeking to undermine democracy, claiming instead: “Criticising the powerful is keeping the system of democracy alive.”

Nonetheless, his platform’s growing reach and willingness to court controversy reflect a broader trend of American-style culture wars taking root in German politics.

By Sabina Mammadli