The last four years have arguably been the most challenging from a global geopolitical perspective since World War II. COVID has demonstrated the vulnerability of humanity to pandemics and the war in Ukraine has raised serious doubts about the durability of peace worldwide.
The smooth flow of trade between countries can no longer be taken for granted either. The relations between large countries like the US, Russia and China are extremely strained and this could affect the prospects for peace and prosperity all the way into the next decade.
It is in this context that the US and especially global citizens must view the bid of Joe Biden to be re-elected as President of the US in 2024.
The media has focused on Biden’s age (80) as an undesirable element in his re-election bid, some relishing to point out instances where he appeared to be suffering from lapses in concentration.
Ageism is ingrained in the mindset of Western nations. But people seem to forget that some of the world’s best political, religious, and business leaders have performed exceedingly well despite their advanced age. Alongside Biden, Pope Francis, 86, is among the most admired leaders today.
Political scientist and former diplomat Henry Kissinger, 99, is still one of the clearest thinkers in his field. Malta’s own Censu Tabone served as president of the Republic until he was 81. Every field has its senior stars.
Biden has been a much-needed stabilising force in global politics after the four tumultuous years of his predecessor Donald Trump, who incredulously may be the Republican candidate in the 2024 election.
Biden knows he faces many obstacles in a campaign that will undoubtedly reveal once again the great split in US society. Raising money will be as demanding as ever in an electoral system where big business contributes substantially to election campaigns. But there are also sharp contrasts in how the two parties view the way the country should be run. Peace of mind, expanding healthcare, social justice, rule of law, economic stability, and raising taxes on the wealthy will be among the main election issues in Biden’s campaign.
The US president keeps reminding voters that some threats his country faces are still real and warns that around the country, “MAGA (Make American Great Again) extremists are lining up to take those bedrock freedoms away.”
For people in Western democracies, including most European countries, the result of the US election will matter terribly in an increasingly hostile geopolitical environment.
The Ukraine war is far from over, and no one knows the long-term political and security consequences for Europe, which has shown such necessary unity with the rest of the Western world under Biden’s leadership. The last thing the world needs is the leader of a superpower making outrageous declarations which risks making the Ukraine war even more incendiary.
Biden’s approval ratings are currently among the lowest for any US president seeking re-election.
As the election approaches, the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the economy’s weak performance will be in many voters’ minds. But Trump’s unpopularity among the moderate voters is significant. The incidents of January 2021, when a mob seized the US Capitol, have made many voters aware that they cannot take their democratic way of life for granted.
When the US election takes place in November 2024, Americans may be called to choose between two candidates neither of whom are the ideal political leader. But, as Biden keeps appealing to Americans, they must compare him “to the alternative – not the Almighty”.