President Joe Biden's decision to step down as the Democratic Party's nominee for president opens the door for other contenders to become the Democratic nominee in November. After his announcement on Sunday, reactions poured in from around the world – including France.
In France, the newly re-elected President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, said she saw in Joe Biden's decision "a great president, a great man".
"Joe Biden chooses the interest of his country. A driver of progress in the United States, a fervent defender of democracy and world stability, he tonight completes his political legacy with courage and wisdom," she said in a message published on social media.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement: "I respect President Biden's decision and I look forward to us working together during the remainder of his presidency. I know that, as he has done throughout his remarkable career, he will have made his decision based on what he believes is best for the American people."
Canadian leader Justin Trudeau remarked that he has "known President Biden for years. He’s a great man, and everything he does is guided by his love for his country. As President, he is a partner to Canadians — and a true friend. To President Biden and the First Lady: thank you."
And Israel's President Isaac Herzog extended his "heartfelt thanks" to Biden, "for his friendship and steadfast support for the Israeli people over his decades long career. As the first US President to visit Israel in wartime, as a recipient of the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour, and as a true ally of the Jewish people, he is a symbol of the unbreakable bond between our two peoples."
All eyes on Harris
Biden's announcement to quit is the latest jolt to a tumultuous campaign for the White House, coming a week after the attempted assassination of Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.
A party’s presumptive presidential nominee has never stepped out of the race so close to the election. President Lyndon Johnson, besieged by the Vietnam War, announced in March 1968 that he would not seek another term after just a single state's primary.
Biden's July decision comes after more than 14 million Democrats cast votes supporting him through the primary process.
After he delivered the news that he was folding his campaign, Biden threw his support behind Harris.
"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year," he said in another post on X. "Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump."
Harris faces a staggering political to-do list in the coming days: securing the votes of delegates to claim her party's nomination, picking a running mate, and pivoting a massive political operation that had been built to re-elect Biden to boost her candidacy instead. Harris, if elected, would be the first woman and the first person of South Asian descent to be president.
(with newswires)
