People in South Korea watch news about the US election on TV in Seoul Railway Station.
Credit: Lee Jin-man/AP
As results continue to roll in from the US election, global figures reacted with a mixture of joy, trepidation and resignation.
In Europe, those congratulating incumbent President Donald Trump — despite the fact that he has not yet won the election — included French far-Right politician Marie Le Pen, who has long aligned herself with the Republican candidate.
Speaking on French TV channel CNews, she pointed out that it looked as if even more people — especially Hispanics — had voted for Trump than in 2016. "The media world, as usual, wants to see the world as it wishes, but not as it is.”
“I think the re-election of Trump is better for France," she added.
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša also railed against major media outlets, tweeting: “It’s pretty clear that American people have elected [Trump]. More delays and facts denying from [mainstream media], bigger the final triumph for [president of the US]. Congratulations GOP for strong results across the US."
It’s pretty clear that American people have elected @realDonaldTrump @Mike_Pence for #4moreyears. More delays and facts denying from #MSM, bigger the final triumph for #POTUS. Congratulations @GOP for strong results across the #US @idualliance pic.twitter.com/vzSwt9TBeF
— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) November 4, 2020
Other European figures were more cautious, however, saying that they would wait for the final result. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted: “The American people have spoken. While we wait for the election result, the EU remains ready to continue building a strong transatlantic partnership, based on our shared values and history.”
That idea was echoed by the prime minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, who told a parliamentary session that "the Japan-US alliance is the foundation of Japanese diplomacy, and on that premise I will develop solid relationship with a new president."
Not everyone was so detached. Germany’s Norbert Röttgen, the chair of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee and a potential future leader of the governing Christian Democratic Union party, said a Republican victory would be a huge problem for the country. “Germany is not braced for another four years of working with Trump," he tweeted. "A second election victory would challenge us fundamentally, in a way for which we are not yet prepared.”
France’s government appears to be more sanguine about the tight election race. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire is reported to have said on French radio that the outcome would not make much of a difference to European affairs.
“Whether Joe Biden or Trump is chosen by the Americans does not change this strategic fact," he said. "The American continent has detached itself from the European continent and it is time for Europeans to assume their responsibilities.”
Criticizing the “rivalry” with the US, he reportedly said Europe ought to focus on building “a powerful economic and political entity between China and the United States.”
US Presidential election 2020, in pictures
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani took a similarly hands-off stance: “For Tehran, the next US administration’s policies are important and not who wins the US election,” Rouhani said in a televised cabinet meeting.
“We want to be respected, not subject to sanctions [by the US]. No matter who wins the U.S. election… For us, policies and principles are important.”
Some have sounded the alarm over Mr Trump’s premature declaration earlier this morning that he had won the election and would seek to challenge any other result in the Supreme Court.
“This election continues to be a stresstest for American democracy, much more so than Bush v. Gore in 2000," said Finland’s former prime minister Alexander Stubb. "I still want to believe in resilience of its democratic institutions, but am worried about the speech that we just heard from [Donald Trump]."
This election continues to be a stresstest for American democracy, much more so than Bush v. Gore in 2000. I still want to believe in resilience of its democratic institutions, but am worried about the speech that we just heard from @realDonaldTrump. #Elections2020
— Alexander Stubb (@alexstubb) November 4, 2020
Germany’s defence minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, agreed. “This is a very explosive situation. This is a situation that can lead to a constitutional crisis in the US, as experts are rightly saying. And it is something that must cause us great concern,” she told German TV channel ZDF. "The battle over the legitimacy of the result — whatever it will look like — has now begun."
Australia’s shadow foreign minister, Penny Wong, also underlined the need to wait for the final results before either party declared victory. "The democratic process must be respected, even when it takes time," she said. "It’s in Australia’s interest that America remains a credible, stable democracy."
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull added: "Count every vote."
Count every vote.
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) November 4, 2020
Parts of the world that have previously been criticized for their governance performance took the opportunity to gloat. Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times said in an editorial that the election tensions resembled those in a developing nation, saying: "The US has to some extent degraded."
Using Chinese Communist Party language, it added: “It is clear that the United States has problems with national competitiveness and social governance capacity, and that it needs serious and profound internal reforms.”
Nigerian Senator Shehu Sani tweeted a similar comment: "Africa used to learn American democracy, America is now learning African democracy."
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