Germany and France would rather see Barack Obama as the next US president than Hillary Clinton, according to opinion polls published yesterday. Forty three per cent of Germans prefer Mr Obama, compared with 39 per cent for Mrs Clinton, according to a Forsa poll.

But there is a clear gender divide: German men back Mr Obama (52 per cent compared with 36 per cent for Mrs Clinton) while women support Mrs Clinton (43 per cent to 34 per cent).