Cameron, Clegg open new coalition era for Britain

"On behalf of the European Commission, I would like to offer you my warmest congratulations on your election as prime minister of the United Kingdom," European Commission President José Manuel Barroso told David Cameron in a statement.

"I wish you and your government every success in the demanding work ahead. Like all European governments, you face difficult choices in difficult times. I am confident that you will chart the right course to steer the United Kingdom out of the current crisis and back on the path of sustainable growth," he said.

"Many of the challenges ahead – delivering economic recovery, fighting global poverty, tackling climate change [and] ensuring energy security - are common across the European Union and require a common response. I look forward to working closely with you on these and other issues, such as boosting the internal market and promoting smarter regulation, more transparency and greater accountability in the European Union," he added.

"I also look forward to welcoming you to Brussels in the near future," Barroso concluded.

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek wrote to Cameron to congratulate him on his appointment.

"I congratulate you most sincerely on your appointment, following last week's general election, as prime minister of the United Kingdom," Buzek said.

"I can speak on behalf of the whole of the European Parliament in saying how much we look forward to working with you and the new British government on the whole range of difficult challenges and choices which face the European Union today. As a former prime minister of Poland, I know very well the huge responsibility which you are now undertaking as head of government. I wish you well in the demanding work ahead," he said.

"I look forward to an early opportunity for us to discuss EU issues together, either when you are in Brussels, perhaps for a European Council meeting, or when I visit London, as I hope to do later in the year," he concluded.

US President Barack Obama called Cameron within minutes of his appointment. He reiterated his personal and deep commitment to the special relationship between the two countries and invited the new PM to visit the United States in July.

"I was pleased to call David Cameron to extend my personal congratulations for the successful campaign that he ran and for becoming the new British prime minister.

"As I told the prime minister, the United States has no closer friend and ally than the United Kingdom, and I reiterated my deep and personal commitment to the special relationship between our two countries - a bond that has endured for generations and across party lines, and that is essential to the security and prosperity of our two countries, and the world.

"I look forward to meeting with the prime minister at the G8/G20 meetings in June, and Michelle and I invited Prime Minister Cameron and his wife Samantha to visit Washington this summer.

"I also send my best wishes to Gordon Brown, and thank him for his friendship and his distinguished service as prime minister. He provided strong leadership during challenging times, and I have been grateful for his partnership. 

"This historic election has been closely followed by the American people, and I have no doubt that the ties between our two countries will continue to thrive in the years to come," Obama said.  

French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed hope in a statement that "the United Kingdom and France, as partners in the European project in which their common future is taking place, will continue to contribute to the progress of European integration in the confident and friendly spirit that inspires them."

"[David Cameron], like all of us, would have preferred to have a Conservative majority victory, there's no doubt about that. But I think you'd be wrong to say he went further than he needed to. This is a genuine compromise between the parties," said Foreign Secretary William Hague. 

"But there were many things the Liberal Democrats have had to swallow, that they've had to agree to that were very difficult for them and we've respected that through the negotiations, just as there are some things like holding a referendum on a new voting system that are very difficult for the Conservative party to accept.

"That means of course there will be people in both parties who quietly wish it hadn't happened, I'm sure. But the acclamation for this agreement among both parliamentary parties was very strong last night and I think if we can continue to work in this way than any little resentments will be put into perspective," Hague said.  

Cameron and Clegg "have fairly similar positions on the emergency of the economic crisis, or on social issues. Both think that individual liberties have been somewhat held under the Labour government," said Pauline Schnapper, professor of contemporary British civilisation at the Sorbonne University in Paris, at a conference organised by the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI), yesterday (11 May).

However, she said doubts remained as to reform of the voting system and Europe. "How will they promote a common European policy with so many disputes?" she asked.

"There is a close link between the Conservatives and the Lib Dem as the party was founded by former Labour dissidents," said at the CERI, Agnès Alexandre-Collier, professor of British studies at the University of Burgundy.

"Nick Clegg represents the right wing of the Lib Dems", she said. "The Lib Dem leaders are quite close with conservatives, but the differences are rather more marked for the left wing of the party and the voters," she added.

"It seems that David Cameron and Nick Clegg will have more difficulties within their own parties than between them in completing the coalition," said Dave Allen, professor of international and European relations at the University of Loughborough in the United Kingdom, at the CERI conference.

"The opposition may come from the chiefs of the Conservative Party. The transition is interesting: many said that the coalition would never work. Yet, one can note a certain chemistry between Nick Clegg and David Cameron," he added.