by Agence France Presse
World leaders and governments have expressed shock and outrage at the storming of the US Capitol in Washington by supporters of President Donald Trump.
– Germany –
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she was “furious and saddened” by the events and said Trump shared blame for the unrest.
“I deeply regret that President Trump has not conceded his defeat, since November and again yesterday,” she said.
– Britain –
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday denounced his erstwhile ally Trump.
“In so far as he encouraged people to storm the Capitol and in so far as the president consistently has cast doubt on the outcome of a free and fair election, I believe that was completely wrong,” Johnson told reporters.
– Israel –
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “rampage at the Capitol yesterday was a disgraceful act and it must be vigorously condemned.”
“I have no doubt that… American democracy will prevail. It always has,” added Netanyahu, who has repeatedly called Trump Israel’s best-ever friend in the White House.
– European Union –
The EU’s foreign policy chief condemned an “assault on US democracy”.
“In the eyes of the world, American democracy tonight appears under siege,” Josep Borrell tweeted.
He added: “This is not America. The election results of 3 November must be fully respected.”
– France –
French President Emmanuel Macron said: “We will not give in to the violence of a few who want to question” democracy.
In a video posted on his Twitter account, he added: “What happened today in Washington is not American”.
– Russia –
Russian officials pointed to the storming of the US Capitol as evidence of America’s decline, with Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the Russian upper house’s foreign affairs committee, saying it showed US democracy was “limping on both feet”.
“The celebration of democracy has ended. It has, unfortunately, hit rock bottom, and I say this without a hint of gloating,” Kosachyov said in a post on Facebook.
His counterpart in the lower house, Leonid Slutsky, said “the United States certainly cannot now impose electoral standards on other countries and claim to be the world’s ‘beacon of democracy’.”
– Iran –
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the chaos unleashed on the Capitol “shows above all how fragile and vulnerable Western democracy is”.
“We saw that unfortunately the ground is fertile for populism, despite the advances in science and industry,” Rouhani said in a speech broadcast by state television. “I hope the whole world and the next occupants of the White House will learn from it.”
– Canada –
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: “Canadians are deeply disturbed and saddened by the attack on democracy in the United States, our closest ally and neighbour.”
– Australia –
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned the “very distressing scenes” in the US.
“We condemn these acts of violence and look forward to a peaceful transfer of Government to the newly elected administration in the great American democratic tradition,” he tweeted.
– New Zealand –
Jacinda Ardern tweeted: “Democracy – the right of people to exercise a vote, have their voice heard and then have that decision upheld peacefully should never be undone by a mob.”
– NATO –
“Shocking scenes in Washington, DC,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg tweeted. “The outcome of this democratic election must be respected.”
– Ireland –
Irish premier Micheal Martin, who has invited the Irish-American Biden to visit his ancestral homeland early in his presidency, tweeted his condemnation.
“The Irish people have a deep connection with the United States of America, built up over many generations. I know that many, like me, will be watching the scenes unfolding in Washington DC with great concern and dismay,” Martin said.
– India –
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Trump ally who has heaped praise on the outgoing US president in the past, said he was “distressed to see news about rioting and violence” in Washington.
“Orderly and peaceful transfer of power must continue. The democratic process cannot be allowed to be subverted through unlawful protests,” the Hindu nationalist leader tweeted.
– Turkey –
In Turkey, which suffered an attempted coup in 2016, the foreign ministry called on “all parties in the US to maintain restraint and prudence. We believe the US will overcome this internal political crisis in a mature manner.”
– Slovenia –
In Slovenia — homeland of US First Lady Melania Trump — Prime Minister Janez Jansa tweeted: “All should be very troubled by the violence taking place in Washington D.C.”
The rightwinger, who backed Trump and who has yet to congratulate Biden on his victory, added: “violence and death threats —from Left or Right— are ALWAYS wrong.”
– Iraq –
Iraqis heaped satire on their former occupier.
“Arab States… urge America to respect freedom of expression,” one web user wrote, saying envoys would be sent to help mediate “peaceful solutions”.
– DR Congo –
In the Democratic Republic of Congo — which saw its first peaceful transition in 2019 after 18 years of iron-fisted rule by Joseph Kabila — activist Bienvenu Matumo pointed out that it is not just African leaders who have trouble letting go of power.
“We have to stop saying that it’s only Africans who don’t want democracy,” said Matumo, of the Fight for Change citizen movement. “This is proof that refusing to quit power after an electoral defeat is not the prerogative of Africans alone.”
– Norway –
He may not be a world leader, but rightwing Norwegian MP Christian Tybring-Gjedde did gain some global prominence last year when he nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. However after the debacle at the Capitol, Tybring-Gjedde said Thursday that Trump did not deserve the prize.
While hailing what he said were Trump’s diplomatic achievements in the Middle East, the Norwegian MP said that “when you see what happened next and what just happened, it would be totally unnatural for him to win such a prize”.
© Agence France-Presse