PARIS, 2 November 2004 — A day ahead of the US presidential election, European newspapers yesterday debated the effect of Osama Bin Laden’s latest appearance via videotape and the poll’s outcome should Europeans have had a vote in the high stakes duel.

France’s major dailies suggested that a video message by the Al-Qaeda boss aired late Friday, which threatens fresh attacks on the United States, would benefit incumbent President George W. Bush.

“Will his message help George W. Bush or John Kerry? Difficult to say, although voters seem to have faith in the former to fight terrorism,” the conservative daily Le Figaro said in a commentary.

Under the headline “Total Suspense in Bush-Kerry Duel”, the left-leaning Liberation commented: “The Bin Laden video could help the outgoing president, who is banking on a fear of terrorism to win voters. But the battle is very tight.”

But Germany’s Financial Times Deutschland disagreed. “The provocation succeeded but it will have little effect.”

“Voters for Bush will feel strengthened in their opinion that the fight against terrorism must continue unchanged,” the paper said. “Those for (Sen. John) Kerry consider (this message) as new proof of the failure of the Bush administration.”

Die Welt also said the video would have no bearing on who wins the US election. “Bin Laden is on the defensive, weaker than ever and his message has been lost in the wind,” it said.

Russia’s opposition newspapers Nezavissimaia and Kommersant also said Bin Laden will have no influence on voters who “have already made their choice”.

“The only thing which could tip the balance would be the arrest of the terrorist No. 1,” Kommersant said.

Britain’s right-wing Daily Telegraph spoke up for Bush winning another term in office. “Bush must be allowed to finish the war on terror,” it said. But it acknowledged that if there were “an obviously suitable alternative candidate, it would not be difficult to construct a persuasive argument against” Bush’ re-election.

The Independent clearly jumped on the side of Kerry, while the center-left Guardian newspaper said whoever won the vote “the shadow of Bin Laden will hang heavily over the next US administration”.

Italy’s leading newspaper, Corriere della Sera threw its weight behind Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry, albeit seemingly with some reservation.

“Kerry is vague, hazy, often gray and little convincing. Even with him, if he is elected we will have many reasons to disagree with America and some reasons for argument but at least we will fight more courteously,” editorialist Sergio Romano wrote.

Prague’s Dnes daily said if the election were to be held on this side of the Atlantic instead, the outcome would have been decided a long time ago.

“It’s John Kerry who would win,” it said, pointing however to what it described as a “naivety” about the Democratic senator. “Whether one or the other wins, for Europe there will be no big change,” the Czech daily said. In the Netherlands, Protestant daily Trouw said: “If Europeans could participate in the US presidential elections the results would be clear. They dislike George Bush, mostly because of the invasion of Iraq.”

In the Norwegian capital, Oslo’s independent Aftenposten did not beat about the bush over its preference. “Kerry president,” it headlined.

Sweden’s leading dailies appeared to disagree on what would determine the outcome of the US presidential election, with the Dagens Nyheter speculating that women’s votes could help swing the election to Kerry’s advantage.

Svenska Dagbladet meanwhile stated that the most important factor in determining the vote would be the hoards of lawyers from both sides currently preparing for battle.

“All is set for legal clashes,” the paper wrote pointing out that both the Democrats and the Republicans appear to have hired at least 10,000 lawyers each to battle over the expected small margins in the election.