Trump headed for White House comeback
There are growing indications of a clear victory for Donald Trump in the US presidential election. His party, the Republicans, are also likely to win a majority in both chambers of Congress. While the votes are still being counted, Europe's press discusses what happened on the other side of the Atlantic - and what lies ahead.
Anti-politics winning
De Standaard voices concern about the survival of democracy in the US:
“The sad truth is of course that it is obviously politically profitable to spread lies, stir up hatred and insult opponents. ... Do [powerful Trump supporters like Elon Musk] really not see how much damage is being done to democracy? ... How can destructive anti-politics be so persistent and so contagious? Whatever the outcome, anti-politics has already won. It will continue to grow like a malignant tumour. ... Democracy only works if most voters believe in it. Whether this still applies in the US is questionable.”
Victory for the plutocracy
Shortly before the election, Kathimerini editor-in-chief Alexis Papachelas mused:
“How this man, after so many business failures and scandals, ended up where he is today, how he was allowed to tear down the old establishment and put his party in fetters, is a mystery for the ages. ... There is an answer, of course, and it has to do with the power of the money and the absolute rule of a new plutocracy that has no sense of social responsibility or accountability. It's the plutocracy of big business, which introduced the algorithms and social media that govern our lives today without any concern about their impact. ... America has changed, radically and irrevocably.”
Men and minorities deciding the vote
The Tagesspiegel sees three reasons for Trump's strong position:
“Firstly, all the warnings about Trump as the destroyer of democracy, the fascist and divider, failed to have the desired deterrent effect and may even have provoked defiant reactions from those voters who were still undecided. Secondly: Trump's clientele comprises a strong bloc of young, not very educated men. ... The more intensively Harris campaigned for women's votes, the more men flocked to Trump. Thirdly, Trump has apparently also been able to increase his share of votes from Blacks and Latinos. The Democrats must get used to the fact that minorities can't be kept in line with anti-racism alone. Policies for minorities must have practical consequences: jobs, housing, family.”
Little left of exemplary democracy
The traditional US parties are losing importance, writes Polityka:
“The powerful old parties have proved embarrassingly weak: the Republicans have lost all control over 'their' candidate; the Democrats were unable to find a successor to Joe Biden for four years and then panicked and had to rely on the unprepared, surprised Harris, who is only learning by doing. American democracy, which has been a model and example for the world for 250 years, has emerged severely damaged from this election campaign.”
A turbo version of his first presidency
The Kleine Zeitung expects Trump to act without restraint:
“The next four years under a President Trump will not be a linear continuation of the presidency that ended in 2021; instead, the world is facing the prospect of an uninhibited turbo version. The 'adults in the room', i.e. the comparatively moderate forces of the first administration that tried to contain Trump's most dangerous plans, have long since disappeared. Anyone seeking government office today in the Republican Party, which has been radicalised by the Make America Great movement, must submit to Trump's ideas.”