The US elections, scheduled to be held on the 5th of November, 2024, have not only the US but the world on its toes. It is as it should be, especially since American leadership matters in practically all areas of the world. More so, there is about no part of the world where the subject of who will be the next US President does not count. Therefore, everyone anticipates that Central American nations, which are closer to home, will be under direct spotlight.
The hot seats of president and vice president, 435 seats in the House of Representatives, and 34 US Senate seats are being contested. However, the focus is on the presidential election, which has a global audience ranging from politicians to gamers. Americans’ choice of who their next president will be will have ramifications for the world at large. This article explores the different ways the upcoming US presidential election is already impacting the world. If you are also interested in sports and games read more here.
Why the US Election Matters for Africa, Others
The election will undoubtedly impact the Americas, Europe, Africa, Russia, the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and Eurasia, among others. With the choice left between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, studies are ongoing concerning how different both governments will be. Meanwhile, the election is taking place amidst the demands of the two wars in the Middle East and Europe. Also, we need to consider how this impacts China’s assertiveness and coalitions of autocratic leaders.
Particularly, the US presidential elections have always impacted Africa because of the former’s role in the latter’s development and stability. The upcoming elections are even more so because there is a widespread perception that its relevance to the US has waned recently. As a result, the continent is facing neglect, relegation, and a lack of empathy. The United States’ involvement in Africa has been primarily focused on democratic and humanitarian interventions, mitigating fragility and reducing debt problems.
Meanwhile, Europe is looking to Harris to be the next President of the United States due to its concerns about Donald Trump’s return. European leaders worry that democratic norms in the US will continue to decline, and irreversibly so, should Trump return to the presidency. Also, Europeans are worried that Trump’s government would pose a serious threat to their security. NATO and Ukraine are still in dire need of the US’s support, and without a clear commitment from the latter, the results would be catastrophic.
US Elections Impact Across the Globe
Right now, the world is in the middle of a poly-crisis, as historian Adam Tooze calls it, with unexpected conflicts flaring up globally. As a result, trade flows are disrupted, sticky inflation is being encouraged, and political stability is being undermined. While Biden is being urged, though unsuccessfully, to retire for a younger candidate, Donald Trump’s bid resembles a roadshow rather than a campaign.
He has refused to turn up to the debates that are usually part of the core decisive factors in the primaries. Meanwhile, there are concerns that the election is a tug between ailing gerontocracy, owing to Trump’s frequent verbal memory lapses.
Consternation in Europe
Trump’s likely return to the presidency is causing consternation in Europe and other American allies. China and Russia, the US’s primary strategic rivals, are carefully monitoring this weakness, but don’t let that fool you. There is a good chance that a Trump presidency will likely exacerbate the strains between Moscow and Beijing. Also, the hostile approach to China Trump launched during his first presidency will most likely increase.
Washington and Beijing have witnessed a somewhat improved relationship over the past year under the Biden government. However, the poly crisis has triggered an economic disruption that has both leaders worried. Conversely, Putin believes he can manipulate Trump at his whim—after all, he (Trump) is already unsettling America’s European allies.
While some countries look forward to Trump’s return, many American allies are afraid of what would happen if he does. Trump is an unorthodox president many find hard to deal with, and his America First foreign policy agenda worsens things.
Conclusion: Beyond the USA, Europe, Russia, and China
Although the elections are for the American people, the impacts go way beyond them. Countries across the globe are deeply invested in the outcome of the US presidential election. Kyiv, for example, is ardently watching the campaign because the fate of the war depends on who wins the election.
More so, the election is no longer just about the USA, China, Europe, and Russia; there is a welcome shift. The American people are starting to listen to the voices of major powers from South America to Asia. More than that, rising economic powers like Kenya, Turkiye, and Bangladesh are also being heard and heeded.
This inadvertently means that the winner of November’s elections will face even more grueling and complex challenges. The United States of America has the decisive economic power in the world, but it has never been so unsure of itself. The world waits for what will come out of the 2024 US elections; whatever that is will certainly be interesting.
