Belgian press reacts to Trump victory and considers impact for Europe
Belgium’s media attribute Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election to a range of factors in their editorials on Thursday.
Trump is no longer a “bizarre accident”, says De Standaard editor-in-chief Karel Verhoeven. “For four years he remained the president-outsider, the norm-breaker, the unguided projectile. But the time when Trump could be sweated out like the flu of democracy is over. The Trump of 2024 has become the system itself.”
In De Morgen, chief commentator Bart Eeckhout also talks about the impact of a second Trump term on Europe. “The European geopolitical repositioning had to happen anyway,” he says. “Now we should not hesitate to invest in it as well.”
"Those who cheer along with Trump here may soon be on the losing end"
With Trump in the White House, the economic battle with protectionism, inflation and subsidies will be stepped up, requiring more industrial policy impetus and focus from the EU, Eeckhout says. “Even then, the risk of damage and job losses is high. Those who cheer along with Trump here may soon be on the losing end.”
In Het Laatste Nieuws, political journalist Isolde Van den Eynde compares the fate of the losing Democrats to that of Belgium’s outgoing government, putting the result down to individual people’s view of their finances.
The De Croo government protected purchasing power well for most, Van den Eynde says, “and yet a great sense of unease remained for many. N-VA won the elections with a complete focus on welfare.”
'Pope of populism'
Francophone newspapers see “a broad and unquestionable victory” as well as the “clear crowning achievement” of the “pope of populism”. In Le Soir, Béatrice Delvaux points to the leadership of the Democrats, which has failed to raise a charismatic leader after the Obama era.
Guillaume Barkhuyzen observes in L’Avenir that “millions of voters have made a clear choice”. “It is clear that Donald Trump has succeeded in attracting the attention of the real America that feels threatened in its way of life.”
In La Libre, Dorian de Meeûs talks about the “deep incomprehension” among Europeans after “this new, unquestionable victory”.
"Donald Trump has succeeded in attracting the attention of the real America that feels threatened in its way of life"
Meanwhile, Flemish minister president Matthias Diependale responded to Trump’s victory in Parliament on Wednesday. “On a day like today, there is the realisation that we finally have to work on how we as a European economy are going to stand our ground in the world of tomorrow.”
He was responding to a question from N-VA party colleague Karl Vanlouwe. “The geopolitical shifts force us to start pursuing a policy that makes us ready for tomorrow’s situation,” he said.
The Flemish government will shortly take a position on former ECB president Mario Draghi’s report on the future of European competitiveness, which raised the alarm in September.
“Flanders has a very open economy,” Diependaele said. “Protectionism and isolationism from others will have the biggest effect for us.”
Trump supporters in Florida © PHOTO MAXPP
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