Biden’s ability to project power in the eyes of the world
Their number may not be sufficient, but at least there is an important segment of the Republican Party that does not approve of Donald Trump’s response to his electoral defeat to Joe Biden in the US elections.
The outgoing president is obviously engaging in such antics in an attempt to keep himself relevant in the hopes that it will benefit him politically – especially if he decides to run again in 2024 – and possibly even financially in terms of his business endeavors.
A study by Pew Research has shown that one-third of Republican voters disagree with Trump’s tactics. Of course, this also means that two-thirds are OK with them, but at least the division in American society is not absolute and down the middle.
It is natural in any democracy for the champions of each side to support their candidate. The issue here, however, is not a difference of ideology or policy proposals for the economy or the major social issues facing the country. On these matters it is imperative and healthy to have different opinions and positions. It is also reasonable for the voters of one party to reject the proposals of their rivals and support those from their camp.
However, what we are dealing with here are the very foundations of the democratic process and, by extension, the governance and operation of a country. And when this country happens to be the most important in the world, this is not something of concern only to that country’s people and institutions, but also to the world as a whole.
The legitimacy of the next president of the United States matters a lot in how he, and his country, is approached by its friends and allies – first and foremost the European Union and, in this context, Greece – but also its rivals like China and Russia. It is also important in how he is treated by authoritarian leaders, like Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who put a lot of stock into how powerful the American president is.
It is hoped that now that Biden’s victory has been confirmed by the Electoral College and will upheld by Congress in three weeks, or even after his inauguration on January 20, Donald Trump will stop questioning the legitimacy of the man leading his country, and the West.
The rest of the world, nations and international institutions, need a reliable leader at the helm of America and one whose legitimacy is not questioned and ability to project power is not undermined, especially from within.
