French newspaper Libération called the Democrats' win "une vague bleue," or blue wave, Britain's Daily Mail dubbed it a "historic blue tsunami," and The Times of India's headline ran "midterm blues for Trump." Countries at war were also watching closely, with Ukrainian newspaper The Kyiv Independent's online headline hopeful: "Democrats seize control of Congress in blow to Trump, potential boost for Ukraine." Russia had a different take. Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the state-run daily newspaper, suggested the results would in fact be a blow to Ukraine, which has firm support from the EU. "Brussels, brace yourself.
After the Republicans' defeat, Trump's wrath will fall on Europe," read the headline. In the Middle East, the Tehran Times put the Republicans' resounding defeat down to President Trump's decision to attack Iran earlier this year. "The Iran war comes home to hit Trump at the ballot box," its headline read.
The war, which Trump promised would be over quickly, has dragged on, sent oil prices soaring, and affected many Americans' daily lives with the affordability crisis. And in Israel, which just held its own seismic elections last week, headlines focused on what the Democrats' victory means for the U.S. support of the Jewish state and its war in Gaza. The Times of Israel ran a headline focusing on Democrat, and Muslim, candidate Abdul El-Sayed's triumph in the Michigan Senate race, saying "Anti-Israel El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race, pledges no money for 'apartheid, genocide.'" The headline in Israel's other daily Haaretz read: "Abdul El-Sayed Shows Opposition to Israel Is No Barrier to Winning Battleground States." The Toronto Star, in the US' northern neighbor Canada, which is in the midst of a contentious trade war with the U.S., called the results a "rebuke" to Trump.
Across the southern border in Mexico, El Universal newspaper's headline was similar, reading simply: "Setback for Trump." Many foreign leaders shied away from commenting directly on the results, as unlike a U.S. presidential election where they politely congratulate the winner, they see midterms as a domestic American issue. However Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has an acrimonious relationship with Trump, was forthright on X. "Yesterday, American society voted against policies that only impoverish.
Against climate denialism and against the privileges of the elites," Sanchez said. In South Africa, where diplomatic relations with the U.S. are at an all-time low after Trump falsely accused the government of persecuting its white minority, President Cyril Ramaphosa said "The people of America have spoken." Ramaphosa made the comments as he cast his own ballot in South Africa's municipal elections Wednesday, adding: "I do think that this is going to introduce a new era in world relations…. We're hoping that on a bilateral basis there will be a coming together of minds." A senior Russia diplomat suggested the Democratic Party's return to power in both houses of Congress bode ill for U.S.-Russian relations.
"The approach of the activist wing of the Democratic Party towards Russia is extremely negative. There's nothing new in that," said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in an interview with the state RIA-Novosti news service. Rybakov also signaled there would be no grand shifts in Russian foreign policy as a result.
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