European capitals await US election result with hopes and fears

Europe is paying close attention to the US presidential election on Tuesday, which the polls say is currently too close to call. Several key states are in play at the same time, and neither Vice President Kamala Harris nor former President Donald Trump have been able to establish a clear lead.

At stake are not just domestic US issues, but the future of the country's trade relations and foreign policy — in particular its relationship with NATO in a time of war.

Here, Euronews correspondents in key European capitals share what they're hearing in their cities about public opinion.

George Dimitropoulos, Euronews Athens: A recent poll conducted in Greece showed that 46% of Greek citizens believe that the US's first female vice president will also become the first female president, while only 32% of citizens believe that Donald Trump will return to the White House.

As for Greek national interests, 30% of Greeks believe that Kamala Harris is closer to their priorities — and only 10% believe that Donald Trump will be better for their country.

Liv Stroud, Euronews Berlin: For Germany, a lot is riding on these elections. Polling shows that two-thirds of Germans would prefer Harris to be the next US president, with only 12% preferring a Trump victory — and on the domestic front, those 12% also say they would vote for the AfD.

Regardless of the outcome, it is likely that the US will be increasingly looking toward its own problems, which could have serious consequences for NATO.

Adam Magyar, Euronews Budapest: The Hungarian government has turned the US presidential election into a domestic political issue. Even the announcement of next year's budget has been postponed on the grounds that if Trump wins, there will be peace in Ukraine, and peace requires a different budget from war.

Viktor Orbán was one of the first foreign leaders to back Trump in 2016 and has stuck with him ever since. Polls showing his voters are on board, with 75% of them wanting Trump to win and only 1% supporting Harris.

Of the opposition parties, however, only the far-right Our Country Party's voters appear to be backing Trump.

Joana Mourão Carvalho, Euronews Lisbon: If the Portuguese were to vote, Kamala Harris would be elected president — and it would not be a close race.

A study by Intercampus shows that 70% would vote for the Democratic candidate. According to the survey, Portugal's citizens mostly believe Harris is the likely winner; only 28% said they were convinced that Donald Trump will win.

As for the impact of the outcome, about 65% believe that the choice will influence the economy, social progress and management of armed conflicts in Portugal.

Chrstina Thykjaer, Euronews Madrid: A recent report by the Franklin Institute of the University of Alcalá reveals that 75% of Spaniards believe that a Harris victory would be better for Spain than the return of Trump.

Six out of 10 Spaniards think that the Democratic candidate is more likely to win. While the socialist government has openly announced its support for Kamala Harris, the ruling Popular Party has decided not to take an official position before the election.

Sophia Khatsenkova, Euronews Paris: The US elections are attracting a great deal of public interest in France. According to a survey by YouGov, 1 in 2 French people say they have been following the presidential campaign for several weeks.

More than half of them are men and live in Paris — and 55% of those questioned want Kamala Harris to win, while only 1 in 5 French people would vote for Trump.

Finally, 1 in 3 people think that Kamala Harris is the best candidate to provide solutions to the global crises in Ukraine and the Middle East. Only 22% think Trump would be the best on foreign policy.

Giorgia Orlandi, Euronews Rome: Italians are watching these elections closely, feeling that a lot is at stake. These elections won't just shape the future of the US; from the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East to the strength of China, they will also impact the global order, and certainly Europe.

According to a recent poll published in Italy by YouTrend, the majority of Italians would choose Kamala Harris as the new president, with 78% supporting her and only 22% backing Donald Trump.

These results reflect what most people told us on the streets of the Italian capital.