Europe, US : What the new president will change
04 November 2008 à 00h06
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“America has no better partner than Europe. Now is the time to join together, through constant cooperation, strong institutions, shared sacrifice, and a global commitment to progress, to meet the challenges of the 21st century”. July 24th an immense crowd came to the Column of Victory in Berlin for Barack Obama’s speech. The Democrat candidate called for a new partnership between the EU and the US, acclaimed by 200,000 people.
Since it started, European people have been enthusiastic about the US campaign. “Obamania” seems to be everywhere with people expecting a new deal in American and transatlantic politics. A poll, made by Harris Interactive for France24 with the International Herald Tribune last month, shows that 78% of French, 72 % of Germans, 68 % of Spanish and 66 % of Italians would choose Obama if they had to vote. Between 30% and 60% of them consider the US election as extremely important. As a young black Democrat, Obama represents the hope of the resurrection of the American dream.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the situation is quite different: the EU, all the campaign long, was almost absent from the debate’s issues. The most important themes of foreign policy remained the war in Iraq and the threat of nuclear proliferation. And during their trip to Europe, neither Obama nor McCain went to Brussels to meet the European parliament. What could be called the “European program” of both candidates is dissolved in the NATO question, which also reveals also how weak the EU is image-wise. American politicians do not see it as an important talking partner.
When speaking about Europe, McCain as well as Obama evokes above all the necessity of a new partnership in the war against terrorism. In his Berliner speech, Obama calls European people to order: “For the people of Afghanistan, and for our shared security, the work must be done. America cannot do this alone”, he said. McCain has adopted a similar position: the US needs a fair economic and political partnership with Europe to be stronger and to win the fight against terrorism.
As far as the missile defense system is concerned, the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans’ programs is greater: when McCain wants a large deployment of an antiballistic shield in Eastern Europe, Obama is more prudent, and insists on the necessity of negotiating this question with Europe, Russia and NATO’s allies…
However, the last weeks may radically change the deal. Facing the global financial crisis together, America and Europe have established closer relations. The responses to the financial disorder were similar on both sides of the Atlantic, and Bush accepted the international meetings proposed by the EU. The new American president will have to support this beginning of a strong cooperation between the EU and the US in order to strengthen the expected new Bretton Woods.
Since it started, European people have been enthusiastic about the US campaign. “Obamania” seems to be everywhere with people expecting a new deal in American and transatlantic politics. A poll, made by Harris Interactive for France24 with the International Herald Tribune last month, shows that 78% of French, 72 % of Germans, 68 % of Spanish and 66 % of Italians would choose Obama if they had to vote. Between 30% and 60% of them consider the US election as extremely important. As a young black Democrat, Obama represents the hope of the resurrection of the American dream.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the situation is quite different: the EU, all the campaign long, was almost absent from the debate’s issues. The most important themes of foreign policy remained the war in Iraq and the threat of nuclear proliferation. And during their trip to Europe, neither Obama nor McCain went to Brussels to meet the European parliament. What could be called the “European program” of both candidates is dissolved in the NATO question, which also reveals also how weak the EU is image-wise. American politicians do not see it as an important talking partner.
When speaking about Europe, McCain as well as Obama evokes above all the necessity of a new partnership in the war against terrorism. In his Berliner speech, Obama calls European people to order: “For the people of Afghanistan, and for our shared security, the work must be done. America cannot do this alone”, he said. McCain has adopted a similar position: the US needs a fair economic and political partnership with Europe to be stronger and to win the fight against terrorism.
As far as the missile defense system is concerned, the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans’ programs is greater: when McCain wants a large deployment of an antiballistic shield in Eastern Europe, Obama is more prudent, and insists on the necessity of negotiating this question with Europe, Russia and NATO’s allies…
However, the last weeks may radically change the deal. Facing the global financial crisis together, America and Europe have established closer relations. The responses to the financial disorder were similar on both sides of the Atlantic, and Bush accepted the international meetings proposed by the EU. The new American president will have to support this beginning of a strong cooperation between the EU and the US in order to strengthen the expected new Bretton Woods.
