As the world awaits the U.S. presidential election results, world leaders had a mixed reaction to the nail-biting poll. Right-leaning leaders congratulated President Donald Trump after he claimed he won despite vote counting was underway in several states. However, other world leaders urged patience and said it was too soon comment on the possible outcome of the election.
In Slovenia, Melania Trump's home country, right-wing Prime Minister Janez Janša congratulated Republicans for "strong results" across the U.S. and blamed major news organizations for "delays and facts" over the election results.
"It's pretty clear that American people have elected [Trump]. More delays and facts denying from [mainstream media], bigger the final triumph for [president of the US]. Congratulations GOP for strong results across the US," Janša tweeted on Wednesday.
Echoing similar sentiments about the media, French far-right politician Marine Le Pen, said Trump received more number of votes from the Hispanic this year than he received in 2016. She also said a second term for Trump would prove helpful to France.
"The media world, as usual, wants to see the world as it wishes, but not as it is," she told French TV channel CNews. "I think the re-election of Trump is better for France."
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a well-known Trump admirer, said he wanted his American counterpart to win the election. "You know where I stand, I've been clear. I have a good relationship with Trump. I hope he'll be re-elected," Bolsonaro said.
'Count Every Vote'
Elsewhere in the world, leaders were alarmed over Trump's early declare of the victory. They urged Americans for patience and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said let democracy takes it course.
"I have great confidence in the democracy of the United States and I have great confidence in their institutions and the thing about great institutions and democracies is they deal with whatever challenges come, just like our own does," Morrison said.
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said, "Count every vote."
Olaf Scholz, German vice chancellor, said every vote should be counted. "It is important for us that everything be counted and in the end we have a clear result," he said.
Finland's former prime minister Alexander Stubb said he was "worried" over early declaration of victory from Trump. "This election continues to be a stresstest for American democracy, much more so than Bush v. Gore in 2000. I still want to believe in the resilience of its democratic institutions, but am worried about the speech that we just heard from [Donald Trump]," he tweeted.
Critics Mock Political Chaos In US
Countries like Iran and China that are critical of the U.S. mocked the political chaos in the country.
"What a spectacle!" Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei tweeted. "One says this is the most fraudulent election in US history. Who says that? The president who is currently in office. His rival says Trump intends to rig the election!"
China's state-run newspaper Global Times said the U.S. needed "profound internal reforms" given the current political turmoil in the country,
"The US has to some extent degraded. ... Something must have gone wrong with US' national competitiveness and its social governance. The country needs serious and profound domestic reforms, which will be an arduous task," the newspaper said.
In Russia, lawmaker Vyacheslav Nikonov said that no matter who won the U.S. presidential election, it will be the "worst outcome for America."
"Whoever wins the legal battles half of Americans will not consider them the lawful president. Let's stock up on large quantities of popcorn," Nikonov said.
