The key facts

  • According to projections by American media, the Democrats are set to win about 53 seats in the Senate versus 42 for the Republicans and at least 218 seats in the House of Representatives.
  • French Economy Minister Roland Lescure called the result 'undeniable' and spoke of 'cohabitation' for Trump in domestic politics.
  • National Rally leader Jordan Bardella suggested that the economic consequences of the US intervention in Iran may have contributed to Trump's defeat.

Election results and Paris's reaction

French politicians commented on Wednesday on the results of the US midterm elections, describing the outcome as a setback for President Donald Trump. According to American media outlets cited by the Anadolu agency, the Democrats are projected to win control of both chambers of Congress: about 53 seats in the Senate versus 42 for the Republicans (with counting still ongoing in the remaining states) and at least 218 seats in the 435-seat House of Representatives — the majority threshold.

Assessments by French politicians

French Economy Minister Roland Lescure, speaking on BFMTV, called the Democrats' victory 'undeniable', noting that Trump himself had acknowledged the result. In his words, the president will find himself in a 'rather weakened' position domestically, effectively in a situation of 'cohabitation'. At the same time, Lescure warned that foreign policy will remain under Trump's control, given his 'unpredictable character'. Social-democratic presidential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann called the outcome 'a victory for democracy and decency' and said that 'in politics there is no inevitability', while also warning that Trump retains 'considerable potential for international destabilisation'.

The right's view and caveats

National Rally leader Jordan Bardella, in an interview with RTL, suggested that the economic consequences of the US intervention in Iran may have contributed to Trump's defeat. He stressed that the choice of American voters must be respected regardless of the result. It should be noted that all the statements quoted are assessments by French politicians, not established causes of the election outcome; the results in a number of districts were still being counted at the time of publication.