Berlin braces for Washington shake-up after Trump's election rout

The German government's trans-Atlantic coordinator, Metin Hakverdi, expects the Republicans' loss of control of both chambers of the US Congress to significantly shift the political balance in Washington, he told dpa on Wednesday.

"America has chosen change," said Hakverdi, a lawmaker from the centre-left Social Democrats.

However, he cautioned that President Donald Trump would retain considerable constitutional powers, particularly in foreign policy.

Hakverdi said the election results showed how quickly the balance of political power could shift, even in traditionally safe Republican strongholds.

He urged the German government to maintain close ties with both US political parties and a broad range of groups across American society.

"We must especially not limit our contacts to individual political camps," he said.

Hakverdi calls election historic

Hakverdi also stressed the need for Germany to further strengthen its defence capabilities and economic competitiveness.

"We must not make our security and economic success dependent on US election results," he said.

"Already now one can say: This election was historic," he added, pointing to the election of the first Indigenous woman as governor of New Mexico and the first black woman as governor of Georgia.