France's Le Pen says Wilders election upset gives hope to Europe

PARIS (Reuters) - French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Wednesday hailed what looked like a major election victory for Dutch anti-EU and anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders saying it showed people in Europe were ready to defend national identities.

Dutch far-right politician Wilders of the Freedom Party (PVV), who has vowed to halt all immigration to the Netherlands, was set for a victory in parliamentary elections on Wednesday, an exit poll showed.

"Congratulations to @geertwilderspvv and the PVV for their spectacular performance in the legislative elections which confirms the growing attachment to the defence of national identities," Le Pen, who leads the Rassemblement National party, posted on X.

"It is because there are people who refuse to see the national torch extinguished that the hope for change remains alive in Europe," she said.

Le Pen's party recently topped an IFOP poll for next year's European elections, comfortably ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance.

(Reporting by John Irish; editing by Jonathan Oatis)