The UAE’s Covert Alliance with Europe’s Far Right: A Strategic War on Muslim Communities
How Abu Dhabi’s support for France’s National Rally reveals a broader plan to marginalize Muslims across Europe under the guise of combating “political Islam”.
Watan-In an international landscape increasingly dominated by populist and racist rhetoric, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerges as a key player in funding and empowering far-right parties across Europe. This is part of a broader strategy aimed at isolating Muslim communities and eliminating political or social representation rooted in Islamic identity within the continent.
Abu Dhabi is no longer content with waging war on political Islam in its regional backyard. It has expanded its campaign to Europe, forging alliances with the most anti-Muslim currents on the continent.
In this context, the French investigative outlet Mediapart revealed that Jordan Bardella, head of the far-right National Rally party, is preparing for an official visit to Abu Dhabi in the coming days.
The visit—organized by European MP Thierry Mariani—marks a culmination of over a decade of growing ties between the UAE and the National Rally. It underscores a strategic political maneuver: to boost the French far-right’s international stature while positioning Abu Dhabi as an unconventional partner willing to support nationalist, anti-Islam, and anti-immigrant rhetoric.
According to reports, the National Rally views the UAE as a “strategic partner” in confronting what it labels “Islamic extremism”—a term frequently used to justify discriminatory policies against Muslims across Europe.
Secret Meetings and Election Support
The partnership is not recent. In 2014, Marine Le Pen, the party’s former leader, reportedly hosted a top UAE security official at her residence in a secret meeting. According to a former adviser, the Emirati side offered direct financial support for the party’s political and electoral battles.
Through intricate financing networks and public relations firms, the UAE has facilitated undisclosed funding, including the sponsorship of Le Pen’s 2015 visit to Cairo, arranged by Abu Dhabi.
Pragmatic Normalization Based on Shared Interests
For the UAE, supporting a far-right party like the National Rally does not contradict its official rhetoric of “tolerance.” Instead, it fits its localized definition of combating “political Islam.”
Abu Dhabi draws a line between “cultural Islam,” which it tolerates in a depoliticized form, and “communal Islam,” which it views as a political threat—especially in Europe. Thus, it sees far-right allies as natural partners in dismantling any organized Muslim activism in France and beyond.
Bardella himself recently praised the UAE as an “indispensable partner,” stressing that cooperation with countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE should not be constrained by human rights concerns.
Targeting Muslim Communities as Leverage
This alliance is not only about forging a new political axis but also about reshaping the narrative around Muslim communities in Europe—portraying them as a “fifth column” or cultural threat.
The UAE, alarmed by the potential influence of Islamic movements abroad, views Muslim diasporas in Paris or Brussels as extensions of that threat. Supporting parties that advocate for their legal restriction or outright ban fits into this broader containment strategy.
In France, the National Rally has consistently called for banning the Muslim Brotherhood—a policy that aligns perfectly with Abu Dhabi’s official position and now forms part of a shared agenda: silencing Islamic discourse while boosting the far-right nationalist project.
Expanding Influence in Africa with Emirati Backing
The National Rally’s international outreach, such as Marine Le Pen’s visits to Senegal and Chad or Bardella’s plans to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo, are coordinated through networks tied to the UAE.
These trips aim not just to globalize the party’s presence but to grant it legitimacy as a “transnational political force” backed by authoritarian regimes flush with cash and eager for political cover.
This Emirati connection is part of a broader far-right strategy to fund campaigns through non-Western financial routes, bypassing traditional Western banking systems that often reject dealings with extremist parties.
De-Demonizing the Far Right—With Emirati Help
For years, the National Rally has worked to “de-demonize” its image, tainted by racist and neo-Nazi affiliations. Bardella has ramped up his international appearances—attending anti-Semitism conferences in Israel, visiting the U.S., and hosting foreign officials.
The UAE’s support extends beyond money. It includes media promotion, public relations operations, and opening diplomatic channels across the Middle East and Europe to rebrand the party as a mainstream, conservative national force.
A Dangerous Alliance
The UAE’s partnership with the National Rally can only be understood through their shared hostility toward Muslims as a political and social bloc. While Abu Dhabi sees political Islam as a threat to its authoritarian model, the National Rally seeks to win votes by painting Muslims as enemies of French identity.
This alliance not only threatens Muslim communities across Europe but also signals a deeper convergence between authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and fascist-leaning movements in the West. It’s a mutual interest pact that could fuel policies even more hostile to civil liberties and erode the democratic foundations of Europe itself.
