Relations between Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden, American presidential… Corentin Sellin’s “8h30 franceinfo”

The historian specializing in the United States was the guest of “8h30 franceinfo”, Saturday June 8, 2024.

Corentin Sellin, history professor, specialist in the United States and columnist for “Les Jours”, was the guest of “8h30 franceinfo”, Saturday June 8, 2024. State visit by Joe Biden to France, campaign for American presidential election… He answered questions from Agathe Lambret and Jean-Rémi Baudot.

Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden: “Two men whose ideas converge”

“The agreement seems good” between the French and American presidents, believes Corentin Sellin, as Joe Biden begins his state visit to France on Saturday June 8. “We have two men whose ideas converge. They are two heads of state who are committed to the defense of liberal democracy, who really put that at the top of their agenda”details the specialist, who observes that the two heads of state “took advantage of the commemorations [des 80 ans du Débarquement en Normandie] to recall democratic and liberal values”.

War in Ukraine: “Joe Biden has made the defense of liberal democracy his hobby horse”, insists Corentin Sellin, historian specializing in the United States pic.twitter.com/naFRzY1Cx4

— franceinfo (@franceinfo) June 8, 2024

Corentin Sellin, however, makes a difference between this relationship and that which linked Emmanuel Macron to Joe Biden’s predecessor: “so we see a completely cordial and friendly relationship but which is perhaps not as interpersonal as it was perhaps during the Trump era”.

American presidential election: the battle “will be played out on a deficit of enthusiasm”

“If Biden cannot re-energize, re-mobilize his base, he will be in danger” for the American presidential election, analyzes Corentin Sellin. There “battle” between Donald Trump and Joe Biden who is looming for November 2024, “will play out on a lack of enthusiasm”according to the specialist.

Joe Biden’s pro-Israeli stance caused him to lose part of his electorate.“Young people are much more favorable to the Palestinian cause than older people who are more favorable to Israel, this is particularly true among Democrats”, explains Corentin Sellin. Consequence: for several months, we have seen in the polls that “young people aged 18 to 29 are abandoning it [Joe Biden]”.

Israel – Hamas War: “There is a generational divide among the Democrats”, describes Corentin Sellin, historian specializing in the United States pic.twitter.com/LTY03DEYDW

— franceinfo (@franceinfo) June 8, 2024

On the Republican side, “Trump’s base is more enthusiastic than Biden’s base”, explains historian specializing in American politics. Even if young people “surely won’t vote for Trump”they may turn to abstention or to a third party candidate, in particular “Robert Kennedy, conspiratorial third party candidate”Who “attracts a lot of the youth vote in the polls”underlines Corentin Sellin.

Find the entire “8:30 a.m. franceinfo” from Saturday June 8, 2024: