Theme: Austria

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called the outcome “very good news for American democracy”, saying it is further proof that in a democracy the people write their own history. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said voters had rejected hatred, sexism, climate change denial and privileges for elites, and that the far-right wave “is no longer growing: it is crumbling”. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) “must become more European in order to be able to remain transatlantic”, and that Germany is taking on more responsibility and a larger share of the burdens within the alliance. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the world now has an opportunity to unite around the cost of living and expressed hope that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen. Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said Austrian and European security and prosperity must not depend on how people in Kansas or Iowa vote.

Austria's foreign ministry said on Friday it was expelling four Vienna-based Russian diplomats over “activities incompatible with their diplomatic status”, a term that, according to the Jerusalem Post, is usually used for spying. Three of them worked at Russia's embassy to Austria and one at the Russian delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on military security and arms control, the ministry said. The move brings to 18 the number of Russian diplomats Austria has expelled since 2020.

A bomb threat against an Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna forced the plane to divert to Bulgaria on Sunday, according to Bulgarian authorities and the airline. The airline told AFP that 51 passengers and six crew were aboard and that a security search of the Airbus A320 was launched after it safely landed in Sofia about a half hour after the threat.

Amnesty International Austria displayed a banner reading “END GENOCIDE” inside the stadium during the Austria vs Israel match in Linz, in the Nations League, and is calling on UEFA and FIFA to suspend the Israel Football Association (IFA) for supporting illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The protest was recorded by Middle East Eye.