Press in Spain, Argentina, Austria, Ukraine and India sees fuel prices as the key to the election
On election day, commentaries and analyses read the congressional election as a verdict on Trump and on the costs of the Iran war, but they disagree about the consequences.
On the morning of election day, a common line emerges in the press of several countries. There, the congressional election is seen as a verdict on Trump. As the most important reason for his weakness, the texts name the cost of living, above all fuel prices since the war with Iran. They disagree on how strongly a defeat would slow Trump down.
Spain. In a guest commentary at OKDiario, José Luis Moreno calls the election “un plebiscito casi de un carácter constituyente”, that is, almost a constituent plebiscite. The middle class will decide according to fuel, food and mortgages (OKDiario, 3 November 2026, 9:34 CET).
Argentina. Guillermo Idiart writes at La Nación that the election could become the beginning of the end for Trump. The campaign was shaped by inflation, the cost of living and the Iran war (La Nación, 3 November 2026, 10:00 CET).
Austria. Heute relays an interview by the Swiss newspaper 20 Minuten with the election expert Julien Labarre. The Iran war, gasoline prices and tariffs weigh on Trump: “Every time you fill up, you are reminded of the war.” At the same time, Labarre warns of uncertain polls in individual states (Heute, 3 November 2026, 7:28).
Ukraine. Roman Kot writes at RBC-Ukraine that fuel prices dealt the heaviest blow to the Republicans. He expects a Democratic House of Representatives. Because Trump keeps the veto, such a Congress would work above all through oversight and the budget (RBC-Ukraine, 3 November 2026, 7:00 CET). Anton Filippov at Yevropeiska Pravda, by contrast, sees Trump clearly weakened. With a majority in the Senate, the Democrats could block Trump's nominees for key posts (Yevropeiska Pravda, 3 November 2026, 7:30 CET).
India. Vistaar News expects that Trump could give way toward India if the Republicans suffer losses. There, the former diplomat K. P. Fabian considers the high tariffs on India a big mistake (Vistaar News, 3 November 2026, 8:48 CET).
Turkey. Cumhuriyet takes up the question from early morning of whether Trump will accept a defeat. So far, courts and states have acted as a brake (Cumhuriyet, 3 November 2026, 9:09 CET).
What is new compared with the press reviews of the previous days is the focus on the economy instead of foreign policy. An explicitly Trump-friendly counterpoint was not found in this selection. Major outlets such as the Guardian, Le Monde and the NZZ could not be accessed. All texts are the authors' assessments. Earlier press reviews are under Reports. The forecasts are on the Senate and House of Representatives pages.