French banker and left-wing media magnate Matthieu Pigasse has issued a stark warning, declaring that the world is now entrenched in a “civilisational war.”
As Donald Trump prepares to assume the U.S. presidency, Pigasse took to social media on January 19 to voice his concerns about the growing influence of what he described as the “international radical Right and its media enforcers.”
“We’ve entered a civilisational war,” he proclaimed, cautioning that the global trajectory is veering perilously close to what he called th
Pigasse invoked the ancient Greek historian Polybius to frame his warnings, referencing the concept of anacyclosis—a theory that political systems inevitably cycle through monarchy, aristocracy, democracy, and ultimately mob rule, or ochlocracy, before descending back into tyranny.
“We’re teetering on the edge of mob rule,” Pigasse argued, adding, “This new wave of populism and demagoguery is defined by ignorance, conspiracy theories, economic Liberalism, and social Conservatism, all carefully orchestrated by a privileged autocratic elite.”
A vocal critic of right-wing movements in France, Pigasse has long championed leftist ideals. During France’s 2024 legislative elections, he endorsed the New Popular Front (NFP), urging voters to rally against Marine Le Pen’s National Rally.
In a January 15 interview with Liberation, Pigasse reiterated his commitment to using his media platforms to combat what he labeled as the “radical Right.” He founded Combat, a cultural and media group, in 2009 to foster open dialogue and challenge authority. Combat operates several prominent outlets, including Les Inrockuptibles, feminist magazine Cheek, and Radio Nova, alongside organizing the Rock-En-Seine music festival.
Pigasse also serves as a shareholder in the influential French newspaper Le Monde. His media empire, he says, aims to promote an inclusive and progressive vision of society, countering authoritarian and far-right ideologies.
Pigasse’s concerns align with those of pro-EU politicians in Brussels. Members of the pro-federalist Volt party recently painted a bleak picture of a Europe following Trump’s return to power.
In a dystopian scenario shared on January 17, Volt envisioned Europe overtaken by far-right leaders, environmental catastrophes, and escalating geopolitical tensions. They predicted that Trump’s re-election would lead to a fragile ceasefire in Ukraine, which Germany—under far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) rule—would no longer support with aid.
The grim forecast detailed a continent scarred by disaster: “Prague and Milan lay flooded, while Lisbon and Athens disappear in wildfire smoke,” Volt wrote. In this imagined future, Russian President Vladimir Putin capitalized on the chaos, using tactical nuclear weapons to devastate Kyiv.
The rhetoric of conflict isn’t confined to the left. Argentine libertarian and President Javier Milei has also sounded alarms about a looming “cultural war.” In early December, he warned that the world was heading into a battle over values and ideologies.
As leaders from both ends of the political spectrum amplify such dire warnings, Pigasse’s declaration of a “civilisational war” underscores a growing sense of division and urgency in the global political landscape.
