World leaders react to Democrats' sweep in US midterms

Democrats' capture of both US congressional chambers in Tuesday's midterm elections drew divergent reactions from world leaders on Wednesday, with European officials debating transatlantic security implications while Tehran and Moscow warned Washington against ignoring voter opposition to war.

Europe gauges transatlantic fallout

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described the outcome as a "historic victory" but emphasized that NATO must become more European to preserve its transatlantic character, stressing that Berlin would continue strengthening defense capabilities regardless of the political shift in Washington. Alice Weidel, co-leader of the opposition Alternative for Germany party, attributed Republican losses partly to Trump's failure to honor campaign promises of non-interventionist foreign policy — a betrayal she said had come back to haunt his party. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez characterized the results as a rejection of Trump's policies and a broader setback for the international far right, suggesting that American voters had repudiated hatred, sexism and climate change denial.

French Economy Minister Roland Lescure acknowledged the Democratic gains as "undeniable" but cautioned that Trump would retain significant authority over foreign policy, noting that the president could either scale back his international involvement or continue current approaches. "Frankly, this is something we will need to keep an eye on in the coming days," Lescure said, adding that gasoline prices and trade policy remained immediate concerns. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani struck a more neutral tone, stating that "We always respect the will of the American people" and confirming that Rome would maintain its strategic cooperation with Washington regardless of which party held power. British Health Minister James Frith described the results as a "seismic shift" in domestic politics but emphasized that the longstanding relationship between London and Washington would remain unwavering.

NATO allies eye defense responsibilities

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk welcomed the results as a triumph for democratic institutions, declaring that "Today democracy has won in America. I love democracy, it's a beautiful thing." He expressed hope that the outcome would contribute to regional stability and advised Trump against relying on presidential vetoes to govern. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis warned that the Democratic sweep could trigger political paralysis in Washington, predicting that impeachment attempts and vetoes would dominate the legislative agenda during Trump's remaining time in office.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store described the results as a powerful signal that American voters sought change on climate policy and development assistance, suggesting that the new congressional balance could open opportunities for greater alignment with Oslo's priorities. Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken cautioned that deep political divisions risked prolonged deadlock between the White House and Capitol Hill, stressing that Brussels would monitor developments regarding support for Ukraine and Washington's position toward NATO. Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis affirmed that Athens' strategic partnership with Washington would remain unaffected, noting that "Greek-American relations will remain strong" regardless of the electoral outcome.

Rivals and partners monitor bipartisanship

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the election results demonstrated Americans' opposition to war, warning that Washington would face serious consequences if it disregarded public sentiment against military confrontation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that Trump would continue pursuing diplomatic solutions despite the setback, while Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted that Moscow's approach to the Ukraine conflict would not be influenced by political developments in other countries. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning described the elections as an internal American affair and reiterated Beijing's willingness to maintain constructive relations with Washington on the basis of mutual respect.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry emphasized that Washington's support for the island remained firmly rooted in bipartisan consensus, reaffirming its commitment to expanding security and technological cooperation with the United States. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the Democratic victories as a clear expression of the American electorate's preferences, suggesting the outcome could mark a turning point in international relations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum adopted a cautious approach, indicating that Mexico City would assess the political developments before drawing conclusions about their impact on bilateral relations with Washington.