US Election Night in pictures

It was a night of suspense and drama as one of the closest presidential races in history drew to its climatic end in front of crowds of revellers at Belgium’s biggest election night party.

Scroll down for photos of the night when it finally became clear that Barack Obama would decisively claim a second term in the White House. 

The party at the Renaissance Hotel was hosted by www.thebulletin.be and the American Club of Brussels and was swamped by supporters, underlining the depth of interest in American politics among Brussels’ international community. The hotel in the Luxembourg quarter was at maximum capacity throughout the evening.

US Ambassador Howard Gutman opened the event, thanking everyone for caring about the election, about his country and about Belgian-American relations. A live debate by Republicans Abroad and Democrats Abroad was followed by talks by prominent European speakers, and live music by rockabilly outfit the Saint-Gillbillies completed the entertainment package.

The party drew to a reluctant end at 3.00 and Europe had to wait until 5.20 for confirmation that Obama had won after weeks of a race that had been too close to call. In the end, he easily beat Republican contender Mitt Romney in seven of the nine key marginal states.

Yes, we know the queue was too long…

Arm to the left, arm to the right: now it’s time to party!

Lift off: US Ambassador Howard Gutman officially opens the event

Let’s squeeze a few more into this room…

All eyes on the screen: supporters of all hues follow live news from across the Atlantic

Welcome to my party…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A long night awaits…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers of delight as CNN predicts the likely outcome of each state’s electoral college vote

Republicans Abroad and Democrats Abroad stands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picking up a souvenir of the night

A Romney supporter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the Reds vs the Blues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s time to debate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet my friend Barack Obama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chilli dog anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High five, dude

Helicopter view

Returns two hours off…

Keeping in touch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh yes, the press were also invited

Thumbs up from the President of the United States

 

 

 

 

 

The Saint-Gillbillies entertain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tension rises

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faces in the crowd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The evening kicked off with a VIP dinner, attended by US Ambassador Howard Gutman, wife Michelle, British Ambassador Jonathan Brenton, Nato’s Jamie Shea, American Club of Brussels president Maggie Nicholson and prominent business figures 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ambassador Gutman interviewed by a local TV station

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dinner was punctuated by a speech from Ambassador Gutman, in which he said it had been a privilege for him and his wife, Michelle, to work with Belgium in rebuilding the Belgo-American partnership. As he approaches the end of his term in Belgium, he said that he and his wife hoped that whatever the future brought, it would bring them back often to Belgium. “And wherever we are, we will always carry a piece of Belgium in our hearts.”