Global leaders weigh in on US midterm shift
Foreign newspapers and heads of state offered mixed reactions to the Democratic takeover of Congress, with some praising the change and others warning of new tensions.
By Lucas Chen ·
International observers reacted to the Democratic midterm victory with a mix of celebration and caution.
Media outlets across the globe used water imagery to describe the political shift. France's Libération labeled the result a blue wave, while Britain's Daily Mail called it a historic blue tsunami. In India, The Times of India ran a headline describing the outcome as midterm blues for President Trump.
Western allies generally expressed support for the new congressional balance. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has a strained relationship with the White House, posted on X that American society voted against policies he described as impoverishing and divisive. Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the win historic and said Berlin would continue cooperating with Washington while reaching out to both parties.
Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told Reuters that the results signaled a change of course among American voters. He noted that new voices in American politics align more closely with European positions on climate, environment, and foreign aid. In Canada, the Toronto Star described the outcome as a rebuke to Trump, a view echoed by Mexico's El Universal, which simply called it a setback.
The reaction in Russia was less favorable. State-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta predicted that Trump's anger would now fall on Europe. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RIA-Novosti news service that the activist wing of the Democratic Party holds an extremely negative view of Russia. He added that this stance is not new and that Russian foreign policy would not undergo grand shifts as a result.
In the Middle East, the outcome is viewed through the lens of ongoing conflicts. The Tehran Times attributed the Republican defeat to President Trump's decision to attack Iran earlier this year. It noted that the war, which Trump promised would be quick, has dragged on and contributed to soaring oil prices and an affordability crisis for Americans.
Israel is navigating a complex period following its own elections last week. The Times of Israel focused on the victory of Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, highlighting his pledge to withhold money from what he called apartheid and genocide. Analyst Mairav Zonstein noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu effectively lost two elections in one week. Opposition leaders Yair Golan and Yair Lapid argued that the US results eliminate the possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu.
Other major powers maintained a diplomatic posture. China's foreign ministry stated that the midterms are an internal American affair but expressed willingness to continue working with the US to manage differences and expand cooperation. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the alliance with the US remains a cornerstone of Japanese policy, regardless of the election outcome.
Ukraine's Kyiv Independent framed the result as a blow to Trump and a potential boost for its war effort. In South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the people of America have spoken, hoping the shift brings a new era in world relations.
The Kyiv Independent's hopeful tone contrasts with the Russian state media's warning that Brussels should brace itself. The Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf said on X that Americans said no to war, adding that if the US government betrays its public will, it will learn that Iran's no comes with a nightmare.
Source: WBAA
