Last January, the results of 2021 and the outlook for the new year advanced that the political performance of the president of the United States, Joe Biden, was not very stellar. An approval rating of just 40% (some polls even showed lower numbers), an inflation rate climbing to levels not seen in 40 years, and the ever-present impact of the pandemic with the Delta and Omicron have heavily sealed its supports.
Posted at 2:00 p.m.
Moreover, the chaotic exit from Afghanistan for the United States in the summer of 2021 was attributed to the management of the Biden administration. American allies were taken aback and the president’s experience and competence in foreign affairs were called into question.
Also in January, Joe Biden and the Democrats suffered two significant setbacks: the failure to make suffrage reforms (a major campaign commitment) and the withdrawal of the administration’s major social, economic and environmental program. Biden. In both cases, it was also the fruit of certain dissidences within the Democratic Party.
In short, polls and analysts predicted that the midterm elections, scheduled for next November, would be potentially disastrous for the presidency of Joe Biden.
The invasion of Ukraine
The decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine on February 24 is a game-changer. For months, Russia had been assembling troops on the Russian-Ukrainian border and President Biden was rightly planning for a possible Russian assault on Ukraine.
In anticipation of this, Biden managed to unite his allies in NATO (an organization whose usefulness some observers doubted until recently) and the whole of the European Union with force in opposition to Putin’s plans. . The move was a success with the imposition of severe sanctions against the Russian president, his allied oligarchs and the country’s economy. In addition, military equipment and humanitarian support were sent in support of Ukraine.
The courage and leadership of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Ukrainian people have become points of inspiration and rallying against the Russian offensive across the world. This was particularly the case during the State of the Union speech given by Joe Biden on 1er last March. At that time, the US Congress rallied bipartisanly behind Ukraine and the leadership of President Biden.
Biden’s approach was balanced between striking actions against Putin and his inner circle, while leaving room for enough diplomacy to avoid the start of an even wider conflict, and possibly the risk of a nuclear conflict. Since then, NATO and all UN countries have been remarkably united against the invasion of Ukraine.
Today, Vladimir Putin is unanimous against him. He is more isolated than ever on the international scene, while Joe Biden and his allies accuse him of being a war criminal. Even China, a faithful friend of Russia and the main competitor of the American economy, is walking on eggshells in the current context. In addition, the effects of the sanctions put in place in recent weeks will increasingly be felt on the Russian economy over the coming months.
A rebound for Joe Biden
Thus, the security of the West and the rallying around the “American flag” give a rebound to the Biden administration. More traditional Republicans are reclaiming their place in public discourse and beginning to convey an approach further away from Donald Trump’s ultranationalist “America First” rhetoric, the trademark of his presidency. Despite some criticism, Republicans overall support Biden’s approach to Ukraine.
That said, the American political scene remains as polarized as ever. When representatives of both parties in Congress applauded Joe Biden’s pro-Ukraine and President’s remarks, Republicans continued to oppose the Democratic President’s and his party’s legislative agenda.
In recent days, Senate hearings to approve Joe Biden’s Supreme Court pick Ketanji Brown Jackson have reflected this political polarization. Mme Brown Jackson will likely be nominated to the Supreme Court and will be the first African-American woman to sit on the highest court in the land, a historic moment! At best, however, one would expect very few Republicans to approve of this choice.
Despite impressive economic growth (3.6% unemployment, 5.6% wage increase) and some return to post-pandemic normality, inflation continues to show and the conflict in Ukraine is far from over. ended. That said, it should be noted that Joe Biden has picked up the slack and that the American population as a whole is behind him in his management of this international crisis.
The challenges ahead, however, promise to be difficult and very complex. Since the Second World War, history has clearly shown us the leading, transforming and decisive role that the United States of America and its President can and must play on the international scene.
The events of the last few months demonstrate that American influence is still decisive in the international political and economic paradigm. Now, it remains to be seen if this important reminder will influence the situation in view of the November midterm elections.