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- World leaders congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Saturday after the presidential race was officially called by most major US media outlets.
- The messages to Biden and Harris were universally conciliatory and upbeat.
- Biden has been critical of President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy and has advocated for a less confrontational approach to working with world leaders.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
World leaders congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Saturday after the presidential race was officially called by most major US media outlets, signaling a decidedly upbeat tone towards the new American leaders.
Many of the leaders have been thrown off course by the unpredictability of President Donald Trump’s leadership style, and many of them also have interacted with Biden before, as he has a long history of delving into foreign policy as a member of the US Senate from 1973 to 2009 and as vice president from 2009 to 2017.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who worked closely with Biden when he was vice president, highlighted the close relationship between the bordering countries.
“Congratulations Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Trudeau wrote on Twitter. “Our two countries are close friends, partners, and allies. We share a relationship that’s unique on the world stage. I’m really looking forward to working together and building on that with you both.”
—Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 7, 2020
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a close Trump ally, sent a warm congratulatory message to Biden and Harris via Twitter.
“Congratulations to Joe Biden on his election as President of the United States and to Kamala Harris on her historic achievement,” he wrote. “The US is our important ally and I look forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security.”
—Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 7, 2020
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had a strong relationship with former president Barack Obama and Biden, sent a congratulatory note to Biden and Harris.
“I look forward to working together with President Biden in the future,” she wrote. “Our transatlantic friendship is indispensable if we are to face the greatest challenges of our time.”
Israeli Prime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet released a statement, but Israeli Opposition leader Yair Lapid congratulated the president-elect and vice president-elect.
“Congratulations to my friend President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris,” Lapid said. “The relationship between our countries is based on deeply held values and critical shared interests which I know will be at the heart of your administration.”
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