BRUSSELS: The shift in control of Congress from Republicans to Democrats sends an unequivocal political message: the American people want to turn the page on Donald Trump’s agenda,” Brando Benifei, chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the United States, said on Wednesday, after Democrats captured both chambers of the US Congress in the midterm elections.
Benifei said the results offered an opportunity to reset transatlantic relations and urged the incoming Congress to strengthen cooperation with Europe on trade, security, Ukraine and strategic technologies.
“The message is clear: voters are calling for a change of course, and the new Congress must translate this into action,” Benifei, an Italian member of the Socialists and Democrats group, said in a statement.
Democrats secured control of both the House of Representatives and Senate in Tuesday’s elections, reversing the Republican majorities that had allowed President Donald Trump considerable legislative support during the first two years of his second term.
The results represent a major setback for Trump, with Democrats making gains in traditionally Republican states, including Texas, South Carolina, Kansas, Iowa and Ohio.
In the Senate, Democrats secured at least seven Republican-held seats, bringing their tally to 53, including two independents, against 41 Republicans in the latest reported count. Several races were still being counted.
In the House, Democrats had secured 214 seats against 126 for Republicans, with 340 of the 435 seats called in the latest available results. Media projections confirmed that Democrats had won control of the chamber.
Among the notable Senate victories, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham in South Carolina, becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state since 1998.
In North Carolina, former Democratic governor Roy Cooper defeated Republican Michael Whatley in the Senate race, while incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff retained his seat in Georgia.
Democrat Sherrod Brown also defeated Republican Senator Jon Husted in Ohio, while Troy Jackson unseated five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine.
Kansas elected its first Democratic senator in nearly a century, with Democrat Adam Hamilton winning the state’s Senate race.
The elections also produced significant historic outcomes in gubernatorial contests. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of a US state, winning in Georgia. In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa became the state’s first Latina governor, while California elected Xavier Becerra as its first Latino governor.
Republican Byron Donalds won Florida’s gubernatorial race, becoming the first Black Republican elected governor in the United States.
The European Parliament’s reaction reflects the wider implications of the results for US-European relations, which have faced tensions over trade tariffs, security commitments and differences on international policy.
Benifei cited several issues he said had contributed to voter dissatisfaction, including the rising cost of living, the war in Iran, civil rights and citizenship policies, and operations by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE).
He also called on the new Congress to reassert its constitutional powers following what he described as years of repeated executive overreach, including on matters of international law.
As chair of the European Parliament’s US delegation and co-chair of the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue, Benifei said he hoped the new legislature would mark a fresh start in relations between the two institutions.
“The transatlantic relationship remains indispensable to European security, the competitiveness of our economies, and the well-being of our citizens and businesses,” he said.
Benifei outlined an agenda for renewed cooperation, including a gradual return to zero-for-zero tariffs, stronger support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion, efforts to address the crisis in the Middle East and strategic cooperation on critical minerals and semiconductors.
He said Europe and the United States shared an interest in strengthening supply chains and addressing distortions in global trade and unfair competition.
“Now is the time to rebuild trust and invest in a partnership between allies, founded on reciprocity and shared strategic interests,” he said.
The new Congress is due to convene in January 2027. Democratic control of both chambers will give the party greater influence over legislation, congressional investigations, government oversight and presidential nominations during the final two years of Trump’s term
