The war that unleashed the and the in bring to the surface a deep rift within the European.
Parties such as the National Alarm in Germany and the AfD in Germany are required to balance between their traditional anti-interventionist rhetoric, their longstanding support for Israel and opposition to the Islamist regime in Tehran.
The escalation reveals a perennial contradiction within Europe’s nationalist parties. On the one hand, they define their identity through their opposition to what they call the “Islamization” of Europe and see Israel as a natural ally. On the other hand, they denounce “American imperialist overreach” and costly foreign involvements. At the same time, they express fears that a new conflict in the Middle East could further destabilize the region and trigger new migration waves such as
The French turn
In France, National Alarm, ahead of polls ahead of next year’s presidential election, had in January taken a clear stand against US intervention in Venezuela, calling the arrest of Nicolas Maduro a violation of national sovereignty.
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On the contrary, towards the American-Israeli operation in Iran, the attitude of the party has been much more cautious, leaning towards the support of the victims. “We support the actions taken by the United States, even if, frankly, we don’t like their unilateral character,” the party’s vice president, Sébastien Senou, said on Tuesday.
Lately, the president of the party, Jordan Bardela attempts to portray National Alarm as a staunch supporter of Israelpresenting the “Islamist threat” as a common enemy of France and Israel.
Marine Le Pen reacted with restraint when the bombings began. He initially limited himself to a reference to the strikes and a day later issued a statement expressing solidarity with France’s allies in the region who suffered Iranian retaliation. “France must rise to the occasion: on the side of its allies and fully mobilized to protect its citizens,” he said.
However, he did not condemn the unilateral attack against Iran, contrary to the harsh language he had used a month earlier for Venezuela, when he stressed that “the sovereignty of states is never negotiable”.
Rift in Germany too
Similar delicate balances are also recorded in Germany, within the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Krupala expressed “great concern” over the attacks, warning that a “new destabilization of the Middle East” does not serve German interests and “must be ended.”
This position caused reactions within the party. MPs and officials, who are in favor of supporting the attack on the Iranian regime, accused the leadership of adopting rhetoric similar to that of the center-left political space.
The AfD, which claims first place from the Christian Democrats, traditionally maintained a pro-Israel stance. However, in recent months this has softened, reflecting the strengthening of a pro-Russian and anti-American wing with strong bases in eastern Germany.
Internal contradictions at a critical juncture
The timing is particularly sensitive. National Alarm is ahead of polls for France’s 2027 presidential election, while the AfD aspires to become a dominant political force in Germany. A new international crisis threatens to highlight their internal differencesas they attempt to convince voters that they are ready to govern.
Foreign policy has already proven to be a weak point, particularly on defense and the war in Ukraine, issues that their political opponents have been quick to exploit.
What about the other parties?
However, not all European parties face similar dilemmas. THE Romanian nationalist leader George Simeon said the Trump administration is “doing what is necessary for the security of the free world.”
THE Dutch Geert Wilders welcomed the death of Ali Khamenei, while Nigel Farage criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for his stance on the crisis, speaking of a threat to the London-Washington “special relationship” and NATO.
Contrary to this clarity of positions, Bardella canceled a scheduled press conference for the local elections, citing the international situation, without announcing a new date.
