Dear America,

As you choose your next President, the world will watch as the most powerful job in the world peacefully changes hands. In 2008, you will choose the man or woman who has the best vision of America's future and of your role in the world.

All of us, in every country, will be affected by the choice you make. We want you to know that the rest of the world wants to work with you.

That may not always seem obvious. The years after the tragedy of 11 September 2001 saw global unity and international cooperation give way to heated disagreements over war and peace.

But we do want criticism of a particular President to be confused with criticism of America itself. We know that these issues were as passionately debated within the United States itself as within our own societies in Europe. And as Europeans, we owe America a great debt. We honour the America that fought fascism, founded the United Nations and helped to rebuild Europe through the Marshall Fund.

We believe that isolationism would be the wrong choice for America. We do not believe that any of the great challenges we all face today – security and terrorism, climate change, spreading prosperity, democracy and human rights – can be met effectively without you.

So, you should challenge us to show that co-operation between nations can deliver more than even the most powerful nation standing on its own. In turn, we challenge you to show dedication to making that co-operation work.

It is not for outsiders to tell you how you should vote. But, in this election season, we hope you will challenge your own politicians to show how America can rebuild its standing in the world and relationships with friends.

Europe