Midterms: Americans vote as Trump's control of Congress is on the line
Polling stations opened at noon Paris time on the US East Coast for midterm elections that are decisive for Donald Trump. The entire House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are at stake. The first results are expected overnight in France.
Election day in the United States. The first polling stations opened at 6am local time, or noon in Paris, in many East Coast states for the midterm elections. Nearly 250 million voters are called to the polls, according to BFMTV. And many did not wait: almost 58 million Americans have already voted early, a record for midterms.
The stakes are clear: control of Congress for the last two years of Donald Trump's second term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, along with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate. The Republicans currently hold a majority in both chambers, with a narrow margin in the House. On top of this come elections for governors, judges, sheriffs and local officials.
Democrats favourites for the House
The polls give the advantage to the opposition. According to the New York Times, the president's approval rating has fallen to 37.5%, its lowest level. An NBC News poll finds that 60% of Americans disapprove of his performance. The Democrats are tipped to retake the House; the battle for the Senate remains more open. A Siena College survey for the New York Times puts Democratic candidates ahead in most contested states, including Texas and Maine. Michigan, Georgia and Ohio are also being closely watched.
The cost of living dominates the campaign, with soaring fuel prices linked to the war in the Middle East. The vote of Hispanic voters, many of whom backed Donald Trump in 2024, is one of the keys to the election.
A Democratic Congress would change the game: in the House, the opposition could weigh on the budget and launch congressional investigations; in the Senate, it could block presidential nominations.
Trump defends his record, strikes on Iran
On the eve of the vote, the president defended his record in Washington, saying he had kept more promises than he had made and calling his opponents extremists. In a New York Post podcast, he said he was ready to grant pre-emptive pardons to his allies, including Elon Musk.
Election day is also marked by the Iran issue. According to the Wall Street Journal, the United States carried out "limited" strikes on Monday on the Iranian island of Qeshm, in the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump confirmed a strike against an air-defence installation, according to 20 Minutes.
On the Democratic side, California governor Gavin Newsom said on France Inter that Donald Trump would try to steal this election. A federal judge in Washington has also barred the administration from passing on to election officials lists of voters presumed to be "non-citizens", CNN reported, as cited by BFMTV.
Abortion, billionaires: the referendums
Voters are also deciding on numerous local referendums. In California, "Proposition 40" provides for a one-off 5% tax on billionaires' wealth. Abortion rights are on the ballot in several states, including Idaho, Nevada, Virginia and Missouri.
A sleepless night ahead
Polls will close progressively from east to west during the evening, US time. The first results will therefore come in overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday in France. Gavin Newsom summed it up in his own way: if the Democrats' margin is sufficient, he said, Donald Trump will not be able to contest this election.
Update: the Democrats have won Congress, according to projections. Read our article on the results.
