World leaders quickly congratulated US President-elect Joe Biden on his victory Saturday, cheering it on as an opportunity to strengthen global democracy and celebrating the importance of Americans having their first vice president.
Although US President Donald Trump did not admit defeat, relief was a common theme voiced in many parts of the world at the news that his re-election bid had failed.
“Americans have elected their president. Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris! We have a lot to do to overcome the current challenges. Let’s work together! “French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted.
Other leaders who sent congratulations were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The president of Ukraine, whose country was central to Trump’s impeachment and an attempt by the Trump campaign to paint Biden and his family as corrupt, offered quick congratulations.
Most Western allies were quick to welcome a new beginning with a new administration in Washington.
“We look forward to working with the next US government,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted. “We want to work in our cooperation for a new transatlantic beginning, a New Deal.”
News of the Pennsylvania victory that pushed former Vice President Barack Obama beyond the 270 Electoral College vote threshold needed to take over the Oval Office spread around the world on social media and live news feeds, which sparked celebrations.
But the election result inspired disbelief in Slovenia, the homeland of first lady Melania Trump. Prime Minister Janez Jansa was the only world leader to congratulate Trump even before all the votes were counted, and he continued to show his support after Biden’s victory was announced.
It also generated mixed reviews in Iraq. Many Iraqis remember Biden as a champion of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Activists who have been protesting neighboring Iran’s heavy hand in Iraq had supported Trump and applauded the assassination by the United States of Iraq’s top general. Iran in an airstrike on Baghdad airport at the beginning of the year.
Still, Iraqi President Barham Salih tweeted his congratulations to Biden and described him as a trusted friend and partner.
In fact, the detractors were outliers. Congratulations came from nations that disagreed with the Trump administration’s policies, as well as from leaders who had gotten along well with the Republican president but were now essentially ignoring his claims that the divisive election was not over.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, known for his public displays of bonhomia with Trump, shared a photo of himself with Biden and offered his congratulations “on his spectacular victory.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, another Trump ally, praised Biden’s victory and said he looked forward to “working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security.”
Both Modi and Johnson commented on the election of US Senator Kamala Harris as the first black vice president. Modi celebrated the “revolutionary” success of Vice President-elect Harris, calling her victory a “source of immense pride” for all Indian Americans.
Harris’s late mother was from India. Kamala means “lotus flower” in Sanskrit, and Harris nodded to his Indian heritage throughout the campaign.
His election struck a chord internationally. It inspired calls in parts of Africa for long-term male-led governments to think again.
“The time has also come to give our women the opportunity to hold such a high post in our country and even the number one position,” tweeted a Nigerian cabinet minister, Festus Keyamo.
While overt disappointment was rare, a swath of Trump allies remained silent in the wake of the announced results. That included Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Serbian leaders. There was also no immediate statement from Russian President Vladimir Putin or the powerful ruler of Saudi Arabia that he had particularly warm relations with the Trump administration.
Many people, particularly in nations that have been plagued by turbulent politics, took Biden’s victory as a better prospect for future stability. Among them was the leader of the Tanzanian opposition, Zitto Kabwe, who was arrested and charged with terrorism-related crimes after his country’s hard-hitting presidential elections.
“This victory symbolizes the hope of democracy at a time when many other parts of the world see that light diminishing. It gives hope that integrity, honesty and perseverance still matter, ”Kabwe said of the US elections.
Biden’s victory also encouraged people living under populist governments in central Europe that have eroded democratic norms in recent years. Trump has been friendly with the right-wing government in Poland, and his support is widely believed to have enabled the Polish government to go far in undermining judicial independence.
“Trump’s defeat may be the beginning of the end for the triumph of far-right populisms in Europe as well. Thank you Joe, ”said former European Union leader Donald Tusk, former Polish prime minister.
In Egypt, where the government launched an offensive against dissent in recent years, pro-democracy activists welcomed Biden’s victory as a victory for democracy and freedom. Many took to social media to express their joy.
“It’s over. The world is without Trump. The sweetest news in 2020,” Anwar el-Hawary, former editor of the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, the country’s largest independent daily, said in a Facebook post.
Argentine President Alberto Fernández tweeted congratulations to Biden and Harris and described their electoral victory as a “clear expression of the popular will.”
There was also a great deal of expectation that the Biden White House will prioritize the fight against climate change. The Democratic candidate said during his campaign that he planned to lead the United States back to the Paris climate accord from which Trump withdrew. Scientists and environmental activists shared widespread relief.
The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said that if Biden and Harris lead the United States to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by mid-century, it would help avoid some of the disastrous consequences of global warming.
“Clearly, the American people see this and chose unity over conflict and fact over fiction, so that America can truly become great again,” the institute’s co-director Johan Rockstrom said in a statement.
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