Seldom have America's mid-term elections been watched so closely across the globe.
The reasons are clear enough: what impact they'll have on the competitive attractiveness of US democracy around the world, what clues they will provide about the durability of the Trump administration and its foreign policies and – hardest to calculate --the impact they will have on populist and nationalist momentum globally.
On the first issue regarding US democracy, allies are worried that the American model is losing traction, prompting Chinese leaders to promote their state capitalist model as a viable alternative for developing and developed countries alike.
Second, both friends and adversaries will be gauging what the midterm outcome says about the likelihood of President Trump both finishing his first term and perhaps winning election for a further four years. That will prompt decisions to engage the administration or "wait-it-out" on controversial issues including the escalating US showdown with Iran ahead of next week's new round of sanctions, ongoing negotiations with North Korea, the future of Russian sanctions and a host of trade conflicts and negotiations from China to Europe.
Finally, the mid-terms could have influence on electoral politics around the world. In that respect, the vote isn't just a referendum on President Trump's first two years in office but also on the populist brand of politics he represents. While the populist swing pre-dates his election, it has picked up momentum since, in part due to his inspiration to like-minded politicians around the world.
At the same time, the Trump administration's "American First" rhetoric and actions have empowered like-minded leaders. In Europe, such leaders have most often rallied around anti-immigration politics, while in Latin American it has been around anti-corruption campaigns. But on both continents, populist candidates have spoken of the Trump inspiration.
Reference: CNBC
Read More: https://www.cnbc.com/
Thai
Eng