Right at the beginning Michael Müller emphasized that the future of the transatlantic alliance is the question we all have to address. But in his eyes there is a lot to do within the EU first, such as Brexit. “We all hope for a new beginning under a new president Joe Biden as it is very clear that no one can solve current challenges, such as the Corona pandemic alone”, he outlined. “International cooperation is equally important when it comes to tackling climate change,” he added. Especially in times of crises, we need trusted relationships. Berliners have enjoyed a special relationship with the US; this became clear throughout history and there is also a special bond between Berlin and the US, Müller closed.
"Even though we are in the midst of a pandemic, voter turnout was tremendous"
Melissa Eddy, Berlin Correspondent for The New York Times, mentioned the deep interest of the world in the outcome of the election as a sign of the great importance of the US in the international world order. These are exciting times to be a journalist, especially as the election was certified as the safest election in the history of the US. “Even though we are in the midst of a pandemic, voter turnout was tremendous. This shows us that the system remains intact,” she explained. But every relationship comes with its trials and tribulations, also the relationship between Germany and the US, she closed.
"This election is THE election and even Corona was a secondary topic"
Tina Hassel, Head and TV Editor-in-Chief of ARD-Hauptstadtstudio in Berlin added: “This election is THE election and even Corona was a second topic.” This is a huge difference to other elections. There was no hesitation on the political side and many politicians congratulated early in a situation where things were not completely settled. This shows us how important the election is for German and European politics. Also, Germany has to rethink its politics with a new chancellor next year.
Polish security relies on the US and NATO
Tonia Mastrobuoni, Berlin Correspondent for La Repubblica, believes that the Trump era is not over yet. "This is the most important election of the decade, and it was the first time that we saw social media limiting news," she explained. Wojciech Szymanski, Berlin Correspondent for the Polish Section of Deutsche Welle, emphasized the European perspective and mentioned that Polish security relies on the US and NATO and that Poland is traditionally pro-US. “Poland is also a very polarized and divided country, and many people hoped Trump would win again,” she said. Poland has a divided media landscape, thus the election is a complicated issue for Poland. However, in a nutshell, with Biden the temperature will change and the relations between US and Europe will be warmer.
