European commentaries doubt that the Democrats offer an alternative and disagree on whether the election helps Europe

In the days before the election and on election day, several European newspapers turned their attention to the Democrats themselves. The press review by eurotopics of 3 November 2026 summarises these commentaries. Two lines emerge.

Doubts about the Democrats. According to eurotopics, Le Figaro (France, Philippe Gélie) writes that the Democrats must provide answers on the cost of living and fears of war instead of merely attacking Trump. Even with a minority in Congress, Trump would continue to govern by decree. The political scientist Dominykas Kaminskas writes in the Lithuanian magazine IQ that the Democrats lack vision and leading figures and are united above all by their opposition to Trump. Revista 22 (Romania) writes that disappointed voters in the Midwest will not automatically return to the Democrats. Göteborgs-Posten (Sweden) and Liberal (Greece) see Trump rather as an expression of deeper changes that the election will not end.

Opposing views on the benefit for Europe. Ilta-Sanomat (Finland) writes in an editorial of 25 October that even a certain braking effect from a Democratic victory would, according to eurotopics, be “good news for Ukraine and Europe”. IQ (Lithuania) counters that the election will not restrict Trump's power and could make him more aggressive.

The French newspaper La Croix draws a conclusion for Europe from this in an editorial of 3 November. According to the Polish portal Forsal, it writes that a different Congress would probably not change Trump's policy, and that Europe should therefore accelerate its independence from Washington, for example in defence, energy and technology.

These are the newspapers' opinions, not predictions. Further voices from abroad are under Reports.