The US electoral system is a disgusting mess from head to toe.

[TomVilmer]

4. And in Germany, the popular vote decides nothing

In Germany, the president is elected by something quite like the Electoral College, but even more indirectly by the voters. The Electoral College in Germany is the members of parliament and an equal number of delegates from the local states to secure some geographic balance.

The president appoints the political head of state, the Chancellor - in practice after the real choice is made by the majority of the parliament. In modern elections, the parties have a candidate during the popular elections, but there is no laws about that. After the election, they could chose anybody by the above process.

In Denmark we by some stupid tradition have a Monarchy, but the process for prime minister is very similar, since he is selected by the majority of parliament. The guy in front in this election period does not in any way have a popular vote behind him, but was able to get a majority handed to him by the many political parties in parliament.

The idea, that the rest of the world prefers the winner by popular vote without some geographic adjustments, is just false. But the US Electoral College is more fucked up than most, and need some heavy changes.