Dutch Far-Right Leader Wilders Backs Netanyahu Ahead of Israeli Election

Two days before Israeli legislative elections, Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV) and a prominent figure in the radical right, publicly declared his support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Wilders, a long-time supporter of Israel, sent a message on X on Sunday, urging Netanyahu to win the upcoming vote. He stated that Israel's fight against Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas extends beyond Israeli interests, asserting that "protecting Israel from Iranian terrorism, Hezbollah and Hamas is not only in Israel's interest but also in Europe's." Wilders further commented that Netanyahu had done "more to protect our freedom than all European leaders combined."

This endorsement follows years of pro-Israel statements from Wilders. He met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem in December 2024 and visited Israel again last July, engaging with several Israeli officials. In recent months, Wilders has opposed European sanctions against Israel and co-signed parliamentary motions in the Netherlands defending Israeli positions on Judea and Samaria and East Jerusalem, though these were rejected by the majority of deputies.

Wilders' support for Netanyahu comes shortly after a similar public endorsement from US President Donald Trump. Wilders leads the PVV, which won the 2023 Dutch legislative elections before joining a coalition government. He later caused the collapse of that coalition in 2025 over a disagreement on immigration policy.