Biden's victory: those who congratulated him and those who didn't

Joe Biden has won the 2020 US presidential election, but his rival Donald Trump is refusing to accept defeat. Can we congratulate Biden now? The response from many world leaders is telling enough.

In his congratulatory message to the victorious candidate in the US presidential election, Frank-Walter Steinmeier noted the global significance of the election results and said that Biden's presidency has inspired "countless people (...) hope for certainty and stability, rationality and steadfastness in efforts to resolve the problems of a troubled world."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also congratulated Joe Biden on his victory. "I wish him all the best and success from the bottom of my heart, and I also congratulate Kamala Harris on her election as Vice President-elect," Merkel said in a tweet.

"If we want to overcome the great challenges of our time, then there is no alternative to our transatlantic friendship," Merkel stressed.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas expressed hope that transatlantic relations would improve after Joe Biden's victory. "We would be happy to work with the next US administration," he said. "We want to invest in our cooperation, with the aim of a transatlantic beginning, for a new engagement," he wrote in a tweet.

Hopes in the NATO Treaty

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed hope that Biden's victory would improve relations between North America and Europe. "The importance of US leadership in an unpredictable world is felt more than ever," he said.

Stoltenberg added that a strong NATO is desirable for both North America and Europe. In his view, Trump has questioned the military pact, but Biden is fully supportive of it.

Emphasis on shared values ​​between America and Europe

In a message on the occasion, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote that the European Union and the United States have built an unparalleled alliance in the past, based on the values ​​of democracy, freedom, human rights, social justice, and an open economy.

"As the world changes and presents itself with challenges and opportunities, it is particularly important to rebuild our alliance," von der Leyen wrote.

Voting for message sending time

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, was more cautious, noting that the US election results must first be verified. He did, however, congratulate Joe Biden and his future vice president, Kamala Harris.

According to information leaked from EU circles, a vote has apparently been held among EU members on when the best time to send a congratulatory message would be. The decision was finally made at 7 p.m. CET on Saturday, November 7th, an hour and a half after Biden's lead was so great that Trump could no longer overtake him.

Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin was one of the first to send Biden a congratulatory message. He wrote: “Ireland is proud of the election of Joe Biden,” referring to Biden’s Irish family background.

Congratulatory messages have also been sent to the US president-elect from the leaders of Italy, Spain, and Greece.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has repeatedly drawn the ire of Donald Trump, was one of the first leaders to send Biden a congratulatory message.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Biden on Twitter as a “great friend of Israel” and said he was pleased to see “the special bond between the United States and Israel further strengthened.” Trump has clearly sided with Israel in the Middle East conflict, particularly by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The people of India cheered as the results of the US presidential election and Biden's victory were announced, especially because the incoming US Vice President, Kamala Harris, is of Indian descent. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter that Harris was a source of "great pride."

A Trump supporter congratulates Biden

Hungary's right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has congratulated Joe Biden on his victory in the presidential election in a message. Orban's spokesman announced the news, saying that the Hungarian head of state had sent a letter to Joe Biden, wishing him "health and success in overcoming the very serious tasks ahead."

Viktor Orban, a former supporter of Donald Trump, confirmed Trump's claim of fraud in the US election in a radio interview last Friday, and, in support of Trump, told a reporter, "Imagine if such fraud happened in Europe, what a scandal it would cause."

A congratulatory message to be sent later.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has said he will refrain from sending a congratulatory message for Joe Biden's victory for now. He said he will congratulate him once all legal processes related to the vote in the United States are complete.

According to Reuters, Obrador said the approach was “politically wise.” He also stressed that he has good relations with both Trump and Biden.

Türkiye: Nothing will change

In Turkey, it was the vice president who made the statement, rather than the president. “Will anything change from Turkey’s perspective? No, nothing will change,” Fuat Oktay said in a television interview with Turkey’s Channel 7 on Sunday, November 8, regarding the election of Joe Biden, according to AFP.

Oktay praised the work of US President Donald Trump and said that there have been good relations between him and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also congratulated Joe Biden on his victory in a belated message. According to the official Saudi Press Agency, the country's King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Biden and his vice president, Kamala Harris, about 24 hours after the announcement of his victory.

While former Brazilian socialist President Luiz Inácio Lalo da Silva expressed his “relief” at Joe Biden’s election, the country’s current president, Jair Bolsonaro, has so far refrained from sending a congratulatory message. Bolsonaro, a right-wing populist and a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, is a vocal supporter of the Republican presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called Biden’s victory an opportunity for the United States to “make up for past mistakes.” He said the new US administration could now return to the path of upholding international commitments.

The leadership of Russia and China has remained silent, and as of the publication of this report, there is no news of the reaction of the leaders of some countries, such as North Korea.

Source: DW