Decision 2004: You Make The Call

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As Tuesday's US presidential election approaches, many papers across the world wonder if the outcome will make any real difference.

Some reflect worries about the robustness of the voting system, while others are less shy in expressing a political preference. There is a distinct sense the world may be due for a change at the top.

The question of who will be the next US president and which one of the two parties in the US will be the winner of the election is not important at all... The Democrats and the Republicans are all tarred with the same brush.

Iran's Jomhuri-Ye Eslami

A Bush victory may lead to more of the same movement towards unilateral exercise of US power. But would a Kerry presidency be any different?

Malaysia's The Star

At the end of the day, the US president, whether Democrat or Republican, will be elected primarily on their agenda for the US. And in US politics, Africa is barely a tiny blip on the radar.

Kenya's Nation

No drastic change in policy is expected, but the result will signal whether the aggressive, unilateralist role America has adopted in the past four years is going to continue or be scaled down. The difference in the end may be reflected only in nuances.

Pakistan's Dawn

Regardless of who claims victory in these elections, the al-Qaeda leader will emerge the biggest winner.

London-based Arabic paper Al-Quds al-Arabi

The Iraqi street is still wondering whether America's position in Iraq will change if Kerry wins, whether America will stay the course in Iraq or run for its life.

Iraq's Al-Shira

No matter who wins in Tuesday's presidential vote, the outcome seems destined for rejection by almost half the country.

Canada's The Toronto Star

This election is a test for the American people on how far they are willing to show empathy with people of other nations and how far they want to expand their horizons.

Indonesia's Pikiran Rakyat

The USA is celebrating its great festival of democracy enveloped in all kinds of suspicions, doubts and mistrust about the fairness of the process and the guarantees of the final count.

Spain's El Razon

The best thing for both candidates and for the prestige of US democracy itself is for there not to a repetition of the foul-ups of 2000.

Spain's El Pais

On Tuesday the US will be under the spotlight, the rest of the world expects to see the self-proclaimed champion of democracy leading by example.

Zimbabwe's Sunday Mirror

The surfacing of al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, in a video tape has made the US voter doubt whether the Bush administration has really achieved anything in the last four years.

Saudi Arabia's Al-Watan

To get rid of an atmosphere where violence is seen as the only solution, the last hope is the victory of Kerry.

Turkey's Sabah

Only one candidate came to public office as a warrior scarred and cautioned by war. The other came to office as a moral tourist.

Australia's Sydney Morning Herald

For the sake of world progress John Kerry's victory would be preferable so that Europe and the USA may have a chance to start afresh together.

France's Le Monde

The Bush revolution, like many of its kind, has exhausted itself. America now needs a president who does not turn his back on the need to eradicate and eliminate Islamic terrorism, but seeks to do this efficiently, wisely and with international support.

Israel's Yediot Aharonot

If Kerry wins the elections, it can be expected that a very different atmosphere may be formed both in America and the world.

Turkey's Milliyet

The importance of these elections is unquestionable, because at stake is living for four more years with the unilateralism that has imbued the policies of the Bush administration or being able to take the path of international co-operation.

Spain's El Mundo


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