Democrats Win Control of Both Chambers of US Congress, Drawing Reactions Abroad

Democrats won control of both chambers of the US Congress in midterm elections held on November 3, according to the Associated Press. Congress is the national legislature, made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The midterms are national elections held midway through a president's term.

NBC News projected that Democrats had won control of the House of Representatives, with what could be their largest majority in nearly two decades. The Associated Press also reported that Democrats had taken seven Senate seats in states that lean Republican and in closely contested states.

President Donald Trump acknowledged that the US-Israel war on Iran had likely affected his party's midterm results. He said voters were probably not ready "for the short-term consequence of the price of gasoline."

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, is the chief negotiator in talks with the United States. On X, he wrote that "Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message." In a second post, he said that if the US government "betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare," according to Al Jazeera.

In Europe, European Parliament Vice President Christel Schaldemose said the results left her "cautiously optimistic on Europe's behalf." In the United Kingdom, Health Minister James Frith said the UK-US relationship remains strong despite what he called a "seismic shift in domestic politics for the Americans."

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said France would wait to see whether Trump, who remains in control of US foreign policy, adjusts his approach after the midterms.

Market analysts also reacted to the results, as Reuters reported on November 4.