The Netherlands’ military intelligence service has opened multiple investigations into Defense Ministry employees over suspected far-right extremist views, local media reported Monday.
The Defense Ministry did not disclose how many individuals are currently being monitored by the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD), the ministry told Dutch online newspaper NU, confirming that multiple investigations have been opened in recent years.
A spokesperson for the ministry said the situation has remained consistent for several years.
In its annual reports for 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, the MIVD reported multiple investigations into employees.
In 2019, the Volkskrant newspaper reported that 21 investigations had been launched over the previous five years, leading to the departure of four military personnel linked to far-right extremism. The MIVD decided to investigate right-wing extremism more explicitly in 2020.
It is "no surprise” that individuals with right-wing extremist views find their way into the defense ministry, Wieke Vink of the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) told NU.
Vink said the emphasis on discipline, masculinity, and military training within the armed forces can be appealing to far-right circles.
