Germany’s Stern magazine carried the simple headline “What?!” above a picture of a surprised-looking Mr Johnson. The tone of the accompanying article captured the anti-Johnson sentiment which is rife across the European Union where, because of his leading role in the Brexit campaign and his continued taunting of Brussels, he is widely disliked.
Danish title Politiken carries a leader column which compares Mr Johnson with US president Donald Trump, claiming he has “built his entire career on shameless lies and extreme self-promotion”.
The column says “that a clown like Boris Johnson is set to become prime minister in the UK shows just how low the country has fallen since the Brexit referendum”.
It continues: “The British people deserve much, much better political leadership than what they’ve got.
“And now one of the worst is becoming Prime Minister.
“Johnson’s victory is the epitome of injustice. It’s an obscene ascent to power.
“Johnson has – not unlike US president Donald Trump – built his entire career on shameless lies and extreme self-promotion.”
Swiss paper Neue Zurcher Zeitung runs a column from its British correspondent Peter Nonnenmacher with the title: “He’s here – what now?”
He writes: “It will not be easy for him. From the situation in which he has manoeuvred, there is no apparent way out.
“With the solemn summoning of willpower and optimism alone, no state can be made. There must be more, much more.”
Three Belgian papers make reference to Brexit in their coverage – De Morgen writes the EU is “not afraid of Johnson”, de Standaard says Johnson “had 100 days” – a reference to the Brexit deadline of October 31 – and De Tijd writes “The loot has been secured”.
The Irish Times, in a strident editorial, refers to Johnson’s elevation as “a new nadir” for the UK.
It says the best hope for Ireland, Europe and “British citizens themselves – is that Johnson as prime minister will be guided by three of his worst traits, which together have defined his career: he doesn’t mean a word he says, he is obsessed with power and he is willing to betray those closest to him in the pursuit of that power.”
