The world’s media has heralded the victory of the Labour party in Britain’s elections as it shattered the Conservatives’ 14-year hold on power with a resounding majority.
Few tears were shed beyond British shores as most media outlets trumpeted the ascension of Labour with a series of headlines highlighting the magnitude of the Tory defeat.
Likening the demolition of the Conservative party to a natural disaster proved the most popular analogy as the electorate returned the Tories’ worst-ever result.
‘Earthquake – a crushing victory!’ was splashed across the front page of Norway’s Dagbladet alongside a picture of soon-to-be Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer embracing his wife Lady Victoria Starmer at an election party.
‘Look Left! UK Earthquake’ read the top story of the US’ Drudge Report, whose website was emblazoned with a banner depicting the exit poll results showing Labour’s historic majority.
‘ Earthquake – a crushing victory!’ was splashed across the frontpage of Norway’s Dagbladet
‘Look Left! UK Earthquake’ read the top story of the US’ Drudge Report , whose website was emblazoned with a banner depicting the exit poll results
Sweden’s Expressen said the Tories had been ‘crushed’
Italy’s La Repubblica said Starmer ‘reclaimed Britain’
De Telegraaf in the Netherlands focused on Farage’s arrival in the Commons and Sunak’s failure
Some revelled in the Tory failure, pasting images of a dejected Rishi Sunak sporting a pained grimace across their websites.
‘UK ends Conservative era… The Tories have achieved their worst result ever,’ Spain‘s El Pais wrote, as Germany‘s Der Spiegel declared: ‘Sunak congratulates Labour on election victory – Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has admitted defeat and is taking responsibility.’
Many outlets applauded Starmer for presiding over a campaign that returned an overwhelming majority, publishing a slew of congratulatory articles and profiles of the Labour leader.
‘Historic Labour Triumph – Starmer Reclaims Britain,’ Italy‘s La Repubblica said, while several French newspapers penned odes to the Labour leader entitled ‘Keir Starmer, the architect of Labour’s comeback’ and ‘Starmer, the quiet leader who refocused the English left’.
One commentator, writing for Italy’s Corriere Della Sera, said Starmer’s win could even be the catalyst to a future return of Britain to the EU, underscoring the damage done to Britain by Brexit.
‘Here’s why the Tories were swept away… a chain of errors, superficiality and the inability to revive an economy brought to its knees by Brexit.
‘The United Kingdom will return to the European Union – but it will take a generation,’ Beppe Severgnini wrote.
The surprise success of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who last night became an MP at the eighth time of asking, also made it onto front pages worldwide.
‘He calls Donald Trump a friend and wants to shake up the British party system,’ Der Spiegel wrote.
And in Russia, state media today rejoiced at the crushing defeat of the Tories – especially outgoing defence secretary Grant Shapps, who lost his seat.
Vladimir Kornilov, analyst at state news outlet Russia Today, said of Shapps: ‘This unbridled anti-Russia campaigner nearly burst into tears during the announcement of the election results.
‘It turns out that Russophobia is not the decisive factor determining the choice of the British voter.’
Various French newspapers penned lengthy profiles of Keir Starmer in the wake of his victory
Der Spiegel had an image of a dejected Sunak spread across the World News page
One commentator in Italy hammered the Tories for Brexit and various mistakes, proclaiming that Britain could even return to the EU down the line
Labour triumphs, La Repubblica wrote
France’s media described Starmer as a methodical and quiet leader responsible for Labour’s revival
Unsurprisingly, the news of Labour’s huge success in yesterday’s elections did not make the front pages beyond Europe, but plenty of media outlets in Asia, Africa and South America nonetheless covered Starmer’s victory.
The Times of India battered the Conservative party in the wake of their failure, writing: ‘Historic defeat for Tories in UK polls: How Rishi Sunak became the fall guy’ before going in on Tory mismanagement of the country that angered voters.
Japanese daily The Mainichi also focused on the discontent whipped up by the Conservative party, penning a headline that read: Britain’s Labour on track for landslide victory amid anger with Conservatives’, going on to cover how British voters were ‘punishing’ Sunak.
Yomiuri Shimbun detailed how the lengthy reign of the Conservatives came to an end, declaring the Labour party were ‘taking power for the first time in 14 years’.
The Daily Nation, Kenya’s largest newspaper, wrote: ‘Keir Starmer to become new UK Prime Minister: Outgoing Premier Sunak concedes defeat’, while South Africa’s News24 told how Labour ‘swept to power’.
And Brazil’s Globo declared the Conservative party had suffered ‘one of the biggest defeats in history’.
‘HE will be the new Prime Minister! Labour forces a change of power,’ BILD wrote
The Times of India battered the Conservative party in the wake of their failure, writing: ‘Historic defeat for Tories in UK polls: How Rishi Sunak became the fall guy’ before going in on Tory mismanagement of the country that angered voters
Yomiuri Shimbun detailed how the lengthy reign of the Conservatives came to an end, declaring the Labour party were ‘taking power for the first time in 14 years’
Japanese daily The Mainichi also focused on the discontent whipped up by the Conservative party
Brazil’s Globo declared the Conservative party had suffered ‘one of the biggest defeats in history’