Europeans Want Joe Biden to Win in US Election 2020: Poll

LONDON, KOMPAS.com – People in seven European nations overwhelmingly want Joe Biden to win the presidential ticket, but less than 10 percent think the US election 2020 will be fully free and fair.

Those are the findings from an opinion poll released this week by YouGov.

Europeans are not the only ones concerned about a free and fair US election as some diplomats in Washington worry President Donald Trump may not accept a peaceful transfer of power.

Read also: Don't Expect Trump to Commit to Peaceful Transfer of Power

The YouGov survey, conducted in seven European countries between September 15 and October 4, found that 80 percent of Danes want Democratic candidate Joe Biden to win the US election 2020.

The numbers were also high in Germany (71 percent), Spain (69 percent), Sweden (65 percent), France (64 percent) and Britain (61 percent).

Even in Italy, where sentiment towards President Donald Trump is more positive, 58 percent favored a Joe Biden victory.

Only between 2 percent (Germany) and 11 percent (Italy) of those surveyed think the November 3 election will be completely free and fair.

Read also: Steve Bannon’s Attempt at Exporting Firebrand Populism to Europe is Failing

A fifth of Germans and 16 percent of Britons said they thought it would not be free and fair at all.

The findings reflect deepening doubts about the strength and reliability of US democracy after four years of the Trump presidency.

Donald Trump, lagging Biden in opinion polls, has himself called the democratic process into question, making the unfounded assertion that mail-in balloting leads to fraud even though experts say such fraud is rare.

Read also: USPS Crisis Brews as Trump's Quest to Win November Election Heats Up

The Republican president has also refused to say whether he would accept a peaceful transfer of power if he loses.

Some diplomats based in Washington say it has been uncomfortable to watch a nation that has for so long been held up, and held itself up, as an exemplar of democracy have those foundations chipped away at from the White House.

"I do agree with those who say this election is a battle for the soul of America," said one.

"People fundamentally need to decide which direction they want their country to move in."

The confusion and mixed messaging around Trump's Covid-19 diagnosis and hospitalization has added to concerns about how the US election 2020 outcome will be handled, especially if the results are extremely close.

Read also: Trump Joins List of World Leaders Diagnosed with the Coronavirus

One European ambassador said at times it was no longer possible to separate truth from fabrication coming out of the White House. "Frankly, this doesn't bode well for Election Day," he said.

(Writer: Luke Baker | Editor: Frances Kerry)

Source: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-election-poll-europeans/some-in-europe-doubt-whether-u-s-election-will-be-free-and-fair-idUKKBN26U1C3