The local and state-level elections held in the United States (USA) in the autumn of 2025 have revealed a stronger picture than expected for the Democratic Party. Especially the successes achieved in key regions such as New Jersey, Virginia and New York have both refreshed the party’s image at the national level and brought its policy-making capacity back to the agenda in local governments. It has been observed that not only the weakening of the Republican Party, but also strategic transformations within the party, candidate selection methods, and new forms of communication with voters have contributed to the Democrats’ success.[i] These developments have shown that the center-left has regained strength in American domestic politics, but also in the context of relations with the European Union, they have given signs of a more stable, predictable and institutional dialogue-based era.
The way in which the Democrats have achieved this success can be explained by a pragmatic and management-oriented strategy rather than an ideological polarization. In particular, the political discourse developed in topics that directly affect the daily life of the voter, such as living costs, health services, energy transformation and housing policies, has found a response in broad voter bases. Campaigns led by figures such as Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger have highlighted themes of economic stability and local prosperity, an approach that has attracted the support of independent voters and moderate Republicans.[ii] Therefore, it can be said that the main determinant of elections is the perception of managerial competence rather than ideological loyalty. The Democratic candidates acted on the claim of ”creating solutions beyond polarization” and thus managed to re-strengthen the long-eroded center line in American politics.
In terms of internal party balances, this picture has also signaled a substantial transformation. The left wing of the party gained strength in regions where progressive candidates such as Zohran Mamdani won, while the victory of moderate Democrats in states such as Virginia and New Jersey reaffirmed the party’s capacity to accommodate a wide ideological spectrum. This situation has shown that the Democratic Party’s future electoral strategy should not be based on a uniform ideological line, but on a multi-layered approach tailored to local conditions. The balance between “management experience” and “ideological dynamism” is beginning to be restored within the party, and this balance could increase the party’s political effectiveness at the federal level in the long run.[iii]
The reflection of these achievements at the local level on domestic policy has also been remarkable. Democratic municipalities and state governments have begun launching pilot projects in social housing, infrastructure investment, green transformation, and income justice. Such local practices have served as laboratories in the production of federal policy, and it has become possible to bring successful examples to the national agenda. Thus, the ”reform spreading from local to national“ approach has been revived, and the ”multi-layered governance” model, which is frequently discussed in the democratic governance literature, has become operational again in the American context. In this respect, the Democrats’ local success was not limited to electoral success alone, but also created sustainability capacity at the policy level.[iv]
This process has also prompted certain reflections on transatlantic relations. From the point of view of European Union actors, the Democrats’ success has reassured them that democratic institutions remain durable in the United States and that populist waves can be kept under control.[v] Democratic administrations have seemed more inclined to establish a common value-based language of cooperation with Europe, especially in areas such as climate change, energy transformation, and social justice. The green infrastructure and sustainable transportation projects developed at the state and municipal levels have prepared the ground for establishing direct contact with similar initiatives in Europe. These developments have created new opportunities for cooperation in EU-US relations at the technical and institutional level, even if not at the diplomatic level.
This local rise of the Democrats has also carried a symbolic meaning for the center-left parties in Europe. Especially considering the voter fatigue observed in Europe in recent years and the weakening of the center-left, these results in the United States have created a strategically important reference point. The fact that the main reason behind the success of the Democrats is based on “concrete quality of life” policies and ideological flexibility has been a programmatic lesson for left-wing parties in Europe.[vi] Social democratic movements in Europe have long been discussing the need to address everyday economic problems instead of identity-based polarization; the fact that Democrats have embodied this approach in practice may lead center-left actors in Europe to reconsider their strategies.
However, these results are not expected to create a direct foreign policy transformation at the federal level. The relations of the United States with the European Union are still largely dependent on Washington-based decision-making mechanisms. Although the international influence capacity of local governments is limited, the examples of success and value-based cooperation created by these administrations can indirectly contribute to long-term diplomatic relations. Joint projects, particularly in areas such as environmental policies, intercity networks, and technology transfer, could create confidence-building mechanisms between Europe and America.[vii]As a result, the Democratic Party’s achievements in the 2025 local elections are not just an electoral victory but also symbolize the center-left’s recovery in American politics. This success has emerged from a combination of administrative skill, local legitimacy, and a language that directly connects with voters. From the European Union’s perspective, this development has shown that the potential for stability, normative harmony, and cooperation in transatlantic relations has strengthened. However, the lasting impact of all these will depend on Democrats’ ability to maintain political balance at the federal level, manage ideological diversity within the party, and translate their local successes into a national reform agenda. The flexibility shown by the Democrats in this process constitutes a promising model for the future of center-left politics both in America and in Europe.
[i] Ronald Brownstein, “These are the signals to watch from the New Jersey and Virginia governor races”, CNN, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/19/politics/virginia-new-jersey-governor-elections-trump-analysis, (Access Date: 08.11.2025).
[ii] Kayla Epstein, “Polls open in US elections – here are five things to watch”, BBC, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0qp5yjd253o, (Access Date: 08.11.2025).
[iii] Gilles Paris“ “‘Democrats Mamdani and Spanberger won under the same banner, but not with the same ideas’”, Le Monde, https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2025/11/05/democrats-mamdani-and-spanberger-won-under-the-same-banner-but-not-with-the-same-ideas_6747152_23.html, (Access Date: 08.11.2025).
[iv] Ibid.
[v] James Oliphant, “Why Democrats’ election victories pose challenges for both parties”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-politics-newsletter-democrats-proof-life-2025-11-06/, (Access Date: 08.11.2025).
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] Ibid.
