From Paris to Berlin, party leaders are faced with the uncomfortable choice of supporting American and Israeli bombings or remaining faithful to their principles of sovereignty.
American and Israeli bombings on Iran expose a crack in the heart of Europe’s far right.
Across the continent, leaders aligned with the MAGA agenda are forced to choose between their anti-interventionist instincts and embracing an offensive against an Islamist regime they have long considered a threat to Western security, writes Politico.
The escalation reveals a long-standing contradiction within nationalist parties in Europe. Many define themselves in opposition to what they describe as the Islamization of Europe and see Israel as an ally. However, they also campaign against what they describe as the overreach of American imperial power and costly involvement in foreign relations.
At the same time, they fear that a new conflict in the Middle East could destabilize the region and trigger new migration flows.
French pivot
In France, the far-right National Assembly - leading in polls ahead of next year's presidential elections - took a principled stance against US intervention in Venezuela in January, considering the capture of the country's leader, Nicolás Maduro, a violation of national sovereignty.
The response to the American-Israeli campaign in Iran was much more cautious.
"We support the actions taken by the United States, even though, frankly, we do not like their unilateral aspect," said Sébastien Chenu, vice president of the National Assembly of France, on Tuesday.
In recent months, the National Assembly has sought to present itself as a staunch supporter of Israel, with its president, Jordan Bardella, portraying the "Islamist threat" as a common enemy for France and Israel.
Bardella made a historic trip to the country last year, widely seen as a way to further distance the party from the anti-Semitic remarks and Holocaust minimization of its late founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen.
This positioning politically complicates direct opposition to an offensive against a fundamentalist Islamist regime that has promised to destroy Israel.
Marine Le Pen, the party's de facto leader, reacted cautiously as the bombs began to fall. While campaigning for Saturday's local elections, she initially limited herself to noting the attacks, waiting until Sunday to issue an official statement, expressing solidarity with France's allies in the region affected by the Iranian counterattacks.
"France must face the moment: alongside its allies and be fully mobilized to protect its citizens," she said.
Notably absent was any condemnation of the unilateral offensive against Iran - a stark contrast to the strong language used after the American operation in Venezuela just a month earlier.
"The sovereignty of states is never negotiable, regardless of their size, power, or continent," she wrote at the time, in a statement widely praised within her party, which traditionally opposes what it sees as American imperialism.
Apparently aware of this difficult situation, Bardella sought to strike a careful balance, emphasizing in a press release that any "legitimate and sustainable" regime change must come from the Iranian people. He quickly shifted to the internal impact of the conflict, urging the EU and the French government to protect citizens from a projected rise in energy prices.
On Tuesday, Chenu sought to explain the apparent contradiction between his party's position on the Iran attacks and his party's previous position on Venezuela.
"Here it is different, because there is an imminent danger, as a nuclear threat is at stake, and Israel is in a situation where it can be annihilated by Iran," he said.
German division
Across the Rhine, the issue has proven just as delicate for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The party's co-leaders, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, expressed "great concern" about the weekend attacks, warning that "a new destabilization of the Middle East" "is not in Germany's interest" and "must be stopped."
This position did not sit well with some prominent figures in the party, who believe that an offensive against the Iranian Islamist regime should be supported.
Following the party leadership's statement, AfD deputy Andreas Bleck wrote in a Telegram chat group that he feels "unrepresented" and that the party's line needs to be clarified, Welt reported, which is a sister publication of Politico within the Axel Springer Group.
Others publicly expressed disagreement, accusing the party leadership of echoing calls for restraint from center-left figures, such as former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, a prominent member of the Green Party.
AfD, which challenges the Christian Democrats as the country's most popular party, has traditionally supported Israel. However, in recent months, this support has waned. Chrupalla has called for an end to German arms deliveries following civilian deaths in Gaza and a broader reassessment of Berlin's relationship with Israel.
The repositioning reflects the growing influence of a pro-Russian and anti-American wing, rooted in eastern Germany, where AfD is expected to perform strongly in the upcoming regional elections.
Internal divisions
The moment is delicate. Both parties are high in the polls, with the National Assembly in France leading ahead of next year's presidential elections, and AfD competing to become Germany's dominant political force. A new international crisis risks exposing their internal divisions just as they try to convince voters that they are ready to govern.
Foreign policy has already proven to be a fault line, especially regarding defense policy and the war in Ukraine - vulnerabilities that their centrist opponents are eager to exploit.
The 2027 French presidential elections "will be largely decided on international issues," said Gaspard Gantzer, former communication adviser to socialist President François Hollande, before the attack on Iran. "No one will want to send someone to the Elysée who cannot stand up to Donald Trump or Xi Jinping."
Not all European parties are as conflicted.
George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, told Politico: "In Iran, Venezuela, and elsewhere in the world, the Trump administration is doing what is necessary for the safety of the free world and democracy."
On Sunday, Dutch extremist Geert Wilders welcomed the death of "Islamic devil" Ali Khamenei, while Trump ally Nigel Farage criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer's reaction.