Canapés and consensus

Keystone

Around 300 American expatriates – mostly Democrats but also a smattering of Republicans – and 60 journalists have been celebrating the US presidential election at an all-night event near Geneva Airport – Switzerland’s biggest cross-party celebration.

Presidential campaign tensions don’t seem to have seeped into the high-profile party at the Villa Sarasin near the Palexpo exhibition centre in Geneva. While Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have been locked in nasty, bitter, personal debate, here participants who paid CHF80 ($81) sipped glasses of wine, chatted and nibbled on canapés, as they nervously followed the early election news on CNN.

The organizers call it a historic event, as for the first time the party hosted five Swiss-based groups of US expats, including Democrats Abroad Switzerland, Republicans Overseas, American Citizens Abroad – Geneva Chapter, the American International Club and The American International Women’s Club.

“It’s been really great as all the people who helped organize were really happy that we came together. It started out with really good energy,” Anne-Shelton Aaron, chair of the organizing committee. “Given the way the world is going and the way the election has been held. It was consensus that we wanted to come together and build bridges.”

She described the 18-month campaign as ‘horrendous’ adding that ‘incredible damage’ had been done. “I think there has been a degradation of support for institutions, which are the root of our country and I’m not sure how easy that is to repair,” she said. “There has been so little respect and that’s a little scary.”

Azania Noah sings National Anthem at US election party in Geneva #electionnightgenevaExternal link pic.twitter.com/yQrWuaAqSrExternal link

— Simon Bradley (@sibradley1) November 8, 2016External link