Following the midterm elections of the US Congress in which Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives, the president of the S&D Group Udo Bullmann said:
“This is not only a good day for the USA, but also for Europe. As these elections were the first major elections in the US since Trump took office, they were widely viewed as a test of his presidency. The result shows that Trump’s political style is very contested. American voters expressed their dissatisfaction with the contentious commander in chief, his naïve protectionism, aggressive populism and divisive policies.
“I want to congratulate our friends in the Democratic Party on their success. After an impressive grass roots campaign, with so many new inspiring progressive candidates including a record number of women, they will now take back control of the House and will put president Trump under much stronger congressional oversight. If they make good use of their chances, hope rises that the relationship between Europe and the US, which has cooled down considerably since Trump took office, can recover.
“To strengthen the transatlantic dialogue with the progressive forces in Congress and in American society, we have decided to hold next year, shortly before the European Parliament elections, a transatlantic gathering of progressives, with considerable participation from the US Congress. It will be an occasion to illustrate the importance of global progressive cooperation for the future of the European Union and global institutions and to reaffirm our common values and principles in support of democracy, rule-based international order, multilateralism and free, fair and sustainable trade.”
S&D vice-president Victor Boștinaru responsible for foreign affairs, added:
"A Democratic wave has arrived in the House and this is excellent news! Our relations with the US have remained strong in spite of many challenges. We, the Socialists and Democrats in the EP have fought to preserve this strategic partnership, knowing that we share common values and commitments with so many Americans, while trusting the US democratic institutions and while trusting the Democratic Party to make a strong come back in this midterm.
“I trust that the American political life can reshuffle in a more responsible direction, which could have positive geopolitical impacts. I trust we can now count on the Congress to balance the foreign policy of the current US Administration. It is time to give priority back to mutual interest and solidify mutual trust between allies.”
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