WASHINGTON -- After a campaign that stressed the importance of continuity, some might expect few changes in policies during the second term of President George W. Bush. But the outcome of this bitterly fought election has clarified many issues in the United States and will send a signal far beyond America.

Many called this election the most important one in a generation. As the results show us, this claim was more than customary campaign rhetoric. If American voters had followed the traditional path of voting on their pocketbooks, the short-term economy and their jobs, then the Kerry team would have been victorious. If money politics and the support of Hollywood stars had been decisive, again Mr. Kerry would have carried the day. But, contrary to many early tracking polls, the American public appears to have broken with expected traditions.

This election has shown that, to the U.S. electorate, moral principles matter. Call it dedication, commitment, a willingness to stand up for a cause -- all these watchwords, which in many countries around the world have become so unpopular lately, have found a new appeal in the U.S. In how many other nations could a leader have prevailed with essentially a one-track mind focused on fighting terrorism?