Democrats living in Europe are preparing for a new Trump presidency with a mix of fear and resignation.
Hundreds of people, primarily local Democratic supporters and US expatriates living in Belgium, gathered at the Châtelain Hotel in Brussels to follow the US presidential election.
With their eyes fixed on screens showing coverage from across the Atlantic on November 5, many began to leave early as initial results started coming in.
The evening had begun on a high note, with live music and an optimistic atmosphere as many held out hope that Democrat nominee Kamala Harris would defeat Republican rival Donald Trump.
When Americans vote, Democrats win. I’m confident Kamala Harris will win.
For the European observers, these elections carried significant weight, with many, including a group of Dutch students, saying they felt the outcome could have a tangible impact on their own lives.
“I think it is very important for Europeans to keep track of what is going on in America because everything that happens in America influences Europe,” one female student told Brussels Signal.
She said she also feared the aftermath of the election and the possible outcomes.
“If he [Trump] doesn’t win, he is going to make it very hard for Kamala to be happy about her win. So I honestly think that if he doesn’t win, he will make a big fuss about it like he did a few years ago,” she said.
As results rolled in many shared their insights on the US elections with some blaming Kamala’s campaigning style for possible defeat.
Becky Slack, co-director of communication agency Agenda, said if Harris lost it would mainly be because of what she said was her lack of identity during the campaign.
“I hate him [Trump]. I dislike him but I have no idea who Kamala Harris is,” she said, recounting a discussion with one of her US friends who had voted for the now-president-elect.
She argued that Harris’ absence from the primary campaign might have hurt the Democrat’s overall image.
“She’s essentially running on a ‘not Trump, not Biden’ platform, but that raises the question — who is she, really?” Slack said.
Gregg Svingen, spokesman for Democrats abroad in Belgium, had told Brussels Signal that Trump could “cripple” the European Union and remove its ability to negotiate as a bloc.
Democrat spokesman says #Trump expected to 'divide and conquer' #EU
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