2008 Woodie Awards
International Response To The Election
President Bush's re-election receives mixed responses from international leaders.
Erika Batey
Issue date: 11/12/04 Section: News
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While President Bush won re-election with a clear majority of the popular vote in the United States, other nations around the world are greeting the outcome with mixed response. Following the results last week, leaders around the world were quick to send their messages of congratulations. Behind the scenes, however, much more discussion and controversy has been taking place.
Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, the United States' most important ally, called the election "an event of genuine significance right around the world."
"President Bush's re-election comes at a critical time," he said. "A world that is fractured and uncertain must be brought together." Blair is equally concerned as Bush about weapons proliferation and has supported the war despite unpopular reaction from within his own party. Many believe that Bush's re-election was important to Blair because if Kerry had been elected then Blair would have been even more isolated in justifying his reasons for going to war.
France has been one of the most critical countries of President Bush and the war in Iraq. However, following the election results, President Jacques Chirac congratulated Bush and emphasized France's and the United States' common struggle against the spread of terrorism. Other French politicians were less supportive, with some opposition leaders describing him as one of America's worst presidents ever. Most of the public believes that the U.S. will have to establish greater alliances with the rest of the world in order to succeed in Iraq.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder talked about shared challenges between Germany and the United States. He mentioned international terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, climate changes, and poverty as among the issues that both countries faced. The public response to the election was more critical. Ray Furlong, a BBC correspondent in Berlin, reported that 75 percent of the German people wanted Senator Kerry to win.
Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, the United States' most important ally, called the election "an event of genuine significance right around the world."
"President Bush's re-election comes at a critical time," he said. "A world that is fractured and uncertain must be brought together." Blair is equally concerned as Bush about weapons proliferation and has supported the war despite unpopular reaction from within his own party. Many believe that Bush's re-election was important to Blair because if Kerry had been elected then Blair would have been even more isolated in justifying his reasons for going to war.
France has been one of the most critical countries of President Bush and the war in Iraq. However, following the election results, President Jacques Chirac congratulated Bush and emphasized France's and the United States' common struggle against the spread of terrorism. Other French politicians were less supportive, with some opposition leaders describing him as one of America's worst presidents ever. Most of the public believes that the U.S. will have to establish greater alliances with the rest of the world in order to succeed in Iraq.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder talked about shared challenges between Germany and the United States. He mentioned international terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, climate changes, and poverty as among the issues that both countries faced. The public response to the election was more critical. Ray Furlong, a BBC correspondent in Berlin, reported that 75 percent of the German people wanted Senator Kerry to win.