MAGA in the EU: Right-wing parties across the EU openly curry favour with the US leader.
Where do Trump's biggest European supporters hail from and how are they aligning themselves with his values and the US administration's political line? Lawmakers from Germany's right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party made headlines in their home country last week when news emerged of them attending a gala hosted by the Republican Club, an important networking meeting of US President Donald Trump's party.
They are far from alone: politicians from many European nations openly admire the US president and his policies. Given his government's attacks on the European Union this is only at first glance a contradiction. These right-wing politicians feel often closer to Trump's authoritarian tendencies than to liberal or social-democrat movements at home.
Since President Trump's 2024 re-election, a core group of top-tier European politicians and major right-wing parties - especially from Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, and Poland have publicly expressed support or admiration for Trump.
Trump's European cheerleaders have also joined forces in the European Parliament: In the Patriots for Europe grouping, Hungary's Fidesz party, France's National Rally (RN), Italy's Lega, Austria's Freedom Party (FPÖ), Belgium's Vlaaams Belang, Czechia's ANO, the Danish People's Party, Spain's VOX and the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV) - among others - have positioned themselves as a pro-Trump faction in Parliament.
