The European Far Right Facing Trumps Toxic War

President Donald Trump thought he could rely on the support of populist leaders from the far right in Europe in his war against Iran, but they quickly turned against him as this war turned into a fiasco and, above all, it is very little supported by European public opinion.

Imed Bahri

Large sections of the European far right have lost their enthusiasm for the American president that they once admired, according to The Telegraph in a survey on the consequences of the Iran war on the positioning of far-right parties in Europe vis-à-vis Donald Trump. The British newspaper specifies that the leaders of these parties have abandoned their fascination for the American president, whom they used to praise excessively. They show no sympathy for the Islamic Republic of Iran, but the massive rejection of the war by public opinion in Europe puts them in a delicate situation.

Unpopularity of the war against Iran

These parties express their anger at Trump’s commitment to perpetual foreign wars because his toxic foreign policy could lead them to his downfall, given his declining popularity and the erosion of his alliances.

In Great Britain, right-wing figures, including Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK Party, have distanced themselves from the war led by Trump, suggesting that supporting the president in this conflict could be politically suicidal.

Farage, however, had previously boasted of his closeness to Trump.

Italian Council President Giorgia Meloni surprised many observers when her government this week refused to allow American bombers to use an airbase in Sicily on their way to the Middle East, illustrating the unpopularity of an American-Israeli war against Iran in Italy.

Meloni was once one of the most ardent supporters of Trump in Europe. Today, she is politically weakened after her failure in a judicial reform referendum, a year before the legislative elections. She is now trying to distance herself from Trump, who had once called her a “great leader.”

“This government has been wrongly accused of being subservient to Trump,” said Deborah Bergamini, a deputy from Forza Italia, a party in the ruling coalition, before adding: “Italy is not at war and has no intention of getting into a war.”

In France, despite more strained relations with Trump, far-right leader Marine Le Pen did not hesitate to criticize the changing objectives of the war, arguing that the strikes against Iran were carried out “blindly” and without considering their impact on fuel prices.

Sources within the National Rally indicate that the United States seems bogged down in the conflict and that foreign interventions are not only ineffective but may even strengthen the Iranian regime rather than weaken it.

Trump’s foreign policy concerns

In Germany, relations between the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and the Trump administration have deteriorated after a period of close cooperation. Tino Chrupalla, a prominent figure in the party, expressed his “profound disappointment with President War Trump” and even called for the withdrawal of American troops from Germany.

In Poland, despite longstanding relations with Trump, signs of discord emerged after President’s foreign policy advisor Karol Nawrocki criticized the United States for not consulting their allies before striking Iran.

In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán remains one of Trump’s closest allies, but he has taken a more cautious stance, warning against sending American ground troops to Iran, especially due to the sensitivity of energy prices on the domestic market.

Orbán leads Patriots for Europe in the European Parliament, a coalition that includes parties such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the National Rally (RN), and the Danish People’s Party (DFP), the latter being outraged by Trump’s attempt to annex Greenland.

“Trump had promised to withdraw American troops from conflict zones and had boasted of his efforts to establish peace, but this rhetoric completely collapsed after his threats regarding Greenland and his attacks on Venezuela and Iran,” said Danish MEP Anders Vistisen.

In Spain, the Vox party and its leader Santiago Abascal had initially supported an attack on Iran before falling silent, a sign of declining enthusiasm.

However, not everyone has distanced themselves from Trump. Dutch politician Geert Wilders continued to support him, praising the attacks against Iran, a position that sets him apart within the European far-right.

According to the Telegraph, analysts believe that this is not a definitive break between the European far right and Trump but rather a test of the strength of the relationships. Most members of this political current are reluctant towards the war, while admiring Trump’s domestic policy without necessarily approving of his interventions abroad.