Presidential nominee Joe Biden on Saturday cleared his way towards becoming the 46th president of the United States, defeating incumbent Donald Trump. While vote counting continues, poll watchers have called the election in his favour, with Biden securing 290 electoral votes.
President Trump however has refused to acknowledge the win, staunchly maintaining that he had won the election and alleging foul play. This however has not stopped people across the world from celebrating the Democrats' win. As some Twitter users observed, people were celebrating as though the US had "just dislodged a dictator".
While the reaction varies depending on how the people of different countries feel about Biden or Trump and their associates, much of the world recorded exultations. Bells tolled in Paris, fireworks dotted the sky in London, and cheering crowds thronged the streets in the US. At the same time, some countries were far less thrilled. The election's outcome inspired disbelief in Slovenia, the homeland of first lady Melania Trump. It drew mixed reviews in Iraq, where many remember Biden as having been a champion of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. But in the global scheme of things, these are small pockets of reticence. And if Twitter is any indicator, most have been startled by the sheer magnitude of celebrations.
While many in the UK were celebrating Guy Fawkes Day, others have taken to chanting the President-elect's name as they set off fireworks. As one Twitter user wrote, "Fireworks in London. This isn’t a US celebration, it’s a worldwide one. Let the healing begin."
In other parts of the world, such as France, similar scenes were seen. Bells tolled in Paris, shared by many excited Twitter users, while celebratory fireworks reportedly went off in Berlin.
"A friend in Munich tells me the church bells just started ringing across the city. This is a win not just for America, but for the world," tweeted another Twitter user.
In the US too, there is massive support rallying behind Biden. Countless people took to the streets cheering, while others waved flags and posters, and even took out spontaneous processions.
Take a look at some of the visuals:
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