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World leaders have celebrated the victory of Joe Biden, after he won 290 electoral college votes to become the 46th president of the United States.
Biden declared victory on Saturday after a narrow win over the incumbent Republican president, Donald Trump. In the state of Delaware, Biden made a speech together with his vice president, Kamala Harris.
“The people of this nation have spoken. They’ve delivered us a clear victory, a convincing victory”, said Biden, after he was declared the winner by all major US TV networks in the conclusion to four days of suspense following Tuesday’s election.
Biden called for unity, pledging to be a president who “seeks not to divide, but to unify. Who doesn’t see red and blue states, but a United States”.
A nation united.
A nation strengthened.
A nation healed.
The United States of America.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 8, 2020
According to the UK Guardian’s report, Biden addressed the nation and celebrated “the broadest and most diverse coalition in history – Democrats, Republicans, independents, progressives, moderates, conservatives, young, old, urban, suburban, rural, gay, straight, transgender, white, Latino, Asian, Native Americans”, as well as “the African American community”, which he especially praised for standing up for him “when this campaign was at its lowest ebb”. “We must make the promise of the country real for everybody, no matter their race, their ethnicity, their faith, their identity, or their disability”, said Biden.
He went on to say he understood the disappointment of Trump’s supporters and added he had lost two times before. “It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, to lower the temperature, to see each other again, to listen to each other again”.
Stating that the time had come to fight against the Covid-19 outbreak, recover the economy, eradicate systematic racism and to struggle against climate change, Biden said, “I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisers to help take the Biden-Harris COVID plan and convert it into an action blueprint that starts on January 20th, 2021”.
Harris, the first female vice president, said in her speech that Americans chose unity, truth and science, and added that they would construct a better future together. “While I may be the first woman in this office,” she said, “I will not be the last”.
World leaders celebrate Biden
Several world leaders, including leaders from France, Britain, Germany and India, celebrated Biden’s victory.
French president Emmanuel Macron shared a social media post celebrating Biden and Harris.
The Americans have chosen their President. Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris! We have a lot to do to overcome today’s challenges. Let's work together!
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 7, 2020
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau was one of the first leaders to celebrate Biden’s victory. He said the two countries had close relations and he was looking forward to working with Biden and Harris.
British prime minister Boris Johnson also congratulated Biden on Twitter.
Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris pic.twitter.com/xrpE99W4c4
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 7, 2020
German leader Angela Merkel celebrated Biden’s victory and called on the new president to heal transatlantic relations.
The European Union Commission chair Ursula von der Leyen called for US-EU relations to be strengthened.
Who is Joe Biden?
Seventy-eight-year-old Joe Biden worked as an attorney before turning to politics. He became the fifth-youngest US senator in history as well as Delaware’s longest-serving senator.
His 2008 presidential campaign failed, but Democratic nominee Barack Obama selected him as his running mate and Biden went on to serve two terms as the 47th vice president of the United States.
In 2017, at the close of his administration, Obama presented Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Two years later Biden launched his campaign for president and was elected as the 46th president of the United States.
Biden’s views on the Turkish government
Last December, Biden criticised the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the current tension heralds a possible deterioration in relations between Ankara and Washington.
Biden directed harsh criticism towards the Turkish president and denounced his policies towards the Kurds. Biden stated that it was necessary to encourage the opponents of the Turkish president to ensure the defeat of Erdogan through the electoral process.
