Brussels: Europe and the Arabs – Agencies

The war that began with the American and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which toppled the Iranian leadership, has caused confusion and division within the ranks of the far right in Europe, presenting nationalist parties with a complex and difficult political dilemma.

European political forces, which typically combine support for Donald Trump, sympathy for Israel, and anti-Islam stances, find themselves in a precarious position. They find it difficult to support a war that could have direct repercussions for European citizens, such as rising energy prices. Beyond explicitly condemning the Iranian regime, some of these parties are attempting to find a balance between their traditional support for Trump and the growing pressure to condemn the war's consequences. According to a report published by the European news network Euronews in Brussels, "In the early days of the conflict, the most notable silence came from Hungary's ruling Fidesz party. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had previously praised Trump as a 'peacemaker' for his role in the Gaza war, neither condemned nor endorsed the attacks on Iran. Orbán is campaigning for re-election on a 'pro-peace' platform, accusing the European Union of fueling the war in Ukraine by supporting Kyiv with money and weapons. He attempted to resolve this contradiction when he told the Hungarian channel ATV that bombing Iran did not constitute a new war, but rather 'the final blow and closure of a previous unresolved flashpoint.' The same dilemma plagued Italy's League party, whose leader, Matteo Salvini, has repeatedly called for Trump to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and has promoted a policy of non-intervention as the best strategy in international conflicts, including the war in Ukraine. 'We always prefer the diplomatic route,' Paolo Porccia, head of the party's delegation in the European Parliament, told Euronews, acknowledging the complexity of the issue." Sensitivity, especially given the internal debate surrounding the use of US bases on Italian soil to launch attacks on Iran.

Fears of "renewed destabilization"
Some far-right European parties have attempted to acknowledge the risks of war without directly criticizing Trump. The leaders of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupala, stated: "Renewed destabilization in the Middle East is not in Germany's interest and must be prevented."

For his part, AfD MEP Tomas Fröhlich warned that "the collapse of Iran would be catastrophic," noting that it could lead to massive waves of migration, a sharp rise in energy prices, and a series of repercussions that would burden European populations. He proposed urgent measures such as recommitting to coal and nuclear power and opposing any potential deployment of German troops to the region.

Energy and migration concerns are also high on the agenda of the far-right Flemish Interest party in Belgium, which raised the issue during a debate in the Belgian parliament, recalling the indirect consequences of Western interventions in Libya and Syria.

In the Czech Republic, the ANO party faces The governor faces a similar dilemma. According to internal sources, the party doesn't want to criticize Trump, but at the same time, it doesn't want to blindly follow the United States and Israel, especially in a conflict that could lead to higher energy costs, a sensitive issue in the country.

The most critical voice came from France's National Rally party. Despite its hardline stance against the Iranian regime, the party agrees with French President Emmanuel Macron that the American intervention was outside the framework of international law.

"Change in Iran must be in the hands of the Iranian people themselves," said PAR MEP Pierre-Romain Thuynet. “Forced change from the outside, especially through airstrikes alone, has no successful historical precedent.” In contrast, other nationalist forces, such as Spain’s Vox party, the Dutch Party for Freedom, and Britain’s Reform Party led by Nigel Farage, remain more inclined to openly support Trump, while tailoring their political rhetoric to their domestic audiences. Divisions within the European Parliament

All of this has made it difficult for the far-right blocs in the European Parliament to reach a unified position on the war. Both the Patriots for Europe (PfE) and the European Sovereign States (ESN) officially maintain that the decision on this matter rests with each national delegation individually. However, multiple sources confirmed to Euronews that the issue has been discussed internally and remains highly sensitive within these groups. An attack on Iran could prove to be a turning point in the relationship between Trump’s MAGA movement and some of its most prominent supporters in Europe. The US airstrike on Venezuela in January, along with Trump’s previous threats to annex Greenland, have already contributed to weakening his image among some Europeans who place national sovereignty at the heart of their political discourse. After feeling Emboldened by the return of conservative nationalists to power in Washington, many far-right politicians in Europe now appear to be distancing themselves from Trump.

"Trump seems to have become toxic even for some of their own voters," a senior member of the European Parliament told Euronews.

"Behind the scenes, they are trying to find a way to distance themselves from him before it's too late," he added. This is why these parties are seeking to minimize media attention on their stances regarding the war. Right-wing and far-right groups rejected a proposal to debate Trump's threats against Spain during the European Parliament's plenary session next week, a debate that could have been highly embarrassing for them.

A more general debate on the implications of the war in the Middle East is scheduled for next Wednesday in Strasbourg.

One MEP summed up the situation: "Choosing to stand with Trump has become very complicated these days… even for his supporters."