The 2020 U.S. Election and the Global Response
Millions of people, American or otherwise, were tethered to their devices after November 3rd as news networks awaited the results of the hotly contested American presidential election. Although the President is only directly responsible for leading the United States, the occupant of the Oval Office has an undeniable impact on people across the globe. In a particularly divisive contest, it seems that everyone, regardless of nationality, had a strong opinion on the 2020 electoral race.
The dominance of the U.S. in global politics and its projection of values and ideology abroad have enticed people of diverse cultures to show interest and passion in the race for the White House. Many in Western European countries, including traditional allies of the U.S. who have been alienated under the Trump presidency, have not held back in expressing their jubilation for the Democratic Party’s victory, declared officially on November 7.
Positive reactions to the Biden/Harris ticket’s success in Europe are not surprising considering many Europeans’ horrified reactions to President Trump’s alarming behavior during the election. Trump’s consistent peddling of false claims of voter fraud led many Britons, like Cristabel Pyor DuFee, to decry the “chaos in the country” which has “undermined the confidence in the election.” The notion that a sitting President’s leadership is perceived so negatively clearly exemplifies the extent to which allied nations and their citizens have been alienated by Trump’s presidency.
Negative sentiment towards the President’s behavior is nothing new and stems from the tenuous diplomatic relationship between many Western European countries and the U.S. under President Trump. Former German Ambassador to the U.S. Wolfgang Ischinger offers a pessimistic take, saying that “the damage already done by Trump in his first term is considerable and perhaps even irreparable.” It is evident that a significant amount of damage has already been done to the perception of American stability by friends and foes alike. Out of necessity, the next four years will entail a reconstruction of America’s image of democracy as seen by the rest of the world.
This sentiment transcends Europe. In East Africa, journalists stated that “Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and his strongman persona” are almost the exact inverse of what the U.S. portrays itself to be to the world. Many Americans’ decision to vote for a person who has “not prioritized human rights, climate change, anti-racism, and gender equality,” caused shock among the journalists, especially as the results were much closer than expected.
The United States has always presented its democratic practices on a pedestal for developing countries to emulate. When citizens in other countries begin comparing their highly corrupt election practices to those of the U.S. presidential race, it begs the question: will developing countries increasingly look elsewhere for role models?
Additionally, one cannot discuss the 2020 election without mentioning its historical significance. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be representing women, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans in the White House for the first time. News of Harris’ election has provided a reason for celebration in countless communities, perhaps most notably in a South-Indian village with a population of just 350 inhabitants called Thulasendrapuram. This tiny settlement is home to Harris’ maternal grandfather, which has led many villagers to refer to the Vice President-elect as the “daughter of our village.”
Tamil Nadu State Food Minister R. Kamaraj also joined the celebrations as he led a prayer ceremony during the agonizing ballot counting that carried on for days after the election. Bearing posters and banners with the Vice President-elect’s face, this small village on the other side of the world reacted to the news of Harris’ election with singing, dancing, and bursting fire-crackers. So, despite the increasingly negative rhetoric stemming from Western Europe and East Africa, it is clear that the U.S. still holds influence. The fact that this election has managed to touch this small village on the other side of the world truly shows how the U.S.’ influence will likely transcend far beyond its borders for years to come.