Netanyahu's Likud party joins far-right Patriots for Europe alliance
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Likud joins Europe’s far-right Patriots alliance as an observer, signaling Netanyahu’s strategic shift toward nationalist partners backing "Israel’s" policies.
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Spanish far-right VOX party leader Santiago Abascal, center, waves while being applauded by Dutch far-right wing politician Geert Wilders, left, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, second left, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, fourth left, and Italy's vice Premier Matteo Salvini at the end of a European far-right Patriots for Europe summit in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025 (AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has become the first non-European party to join the Patriots for Europe alliance (also known as the Patriots) as an observer member.
The coalition unites several of Europe’s far-right nationalist parties and is widely known for its anti-immigration rhetoric and support for Israeli policies.
This step signals a notable shift in the foreign policy approach of Netanyahu’s government, reflecting a growing political alignment with European far-right forces after years of strained relations and mutual skepticism.
According to Haaretz, Likud’s participation in the alliance represents more than a diplomatic gesture; it embodies an ideological convergence rooted in common stances on migration, religion, and regional policy.
As an observer member, Likud gains access to coordinated political discussions within the alliance, which may shape policy positions in the European Parliament and other forums.
Shared agenda: Anti-immigration, pro-settlement policies
The Patriots alliance is defined by its opposition to mass migration, its stance against what it terms “political Islam", and its strong support for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. These shared priorities have served as the foundation for growing cooperation between Likud and far-right European factions.
Harald Vilimsky, head of the Freedom Party of Austria's delegation to the European Parliament, welcomed the move, emphasizing the shared focus on “combating political Islam," curbing uncontrolled migration, and supporting "Israel" on the European stage.
Analysts say Likud embracing illiberal, populist right
Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu, an Israeli scholar of European politics, noted that Likud’s affiliation with the alliance marks a deeper ideological transformation, a "conclusive evidence of its shift from a liberal party into an integral part of the illiberal, populist far-right.”
Netanyahu secures support from Europe’s far-right bloc
A report in L'Humanité suggests that Netanyahu’s growing relationship with Europe’s far-right parties is a calculated strategy to secure backing within the European Union for "Israel’s" policies.
The report also notes that Netanyahu has largely set aside these parties' antisemitic pasts in favor of their current political alignment with "Israel's" ethnic cleansing and settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.
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