Les partis européens peuvent-ils tirer des leçons des primaires démocrates ?

Exposé Politique & international Sciences politiques

Date de publication :

26/07/2008

Langue :

Anglais

Format :

.doc

Nombre de pages :

3 pages

Niveau :

avancé

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1 fois

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Sommaire :

Sommaire

Interest in Europe for the American primaries
American electoral system is different from the European ones
Particularities that can justify a different nomination process in Europe

Résumé :

There has never been as much interest in Europe for the American primaries as this year. Turn your TV on: the last debate is being analyzed. Open your newspaper: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have been portrayed. Go to your favorite website: a page is dedicated to the primaries. The fact that the selection of the Democrat candidate looks like no other one before may explain the growing interest it generates in Europe. First there has never been as much suspense as this year. Every time a candidate seems to benefit from a momentum, it loses the next caucus or primary. Barack Obama at the beginning of the process and Hillary Clinton more recently contradicted the expected results. Then the stakes of the election are huge. The possible future president of the United States will have to deal with a series of serious issues: climate change, terrorism, proliferation and so on. No wonder the world watches the nomination process. Finally European political parties may learn lessons concerning the selection of their candidates for national elections. The American primaries are considered by many of these parties as a model of democracy. But the acrimonious fight and personal attacks between Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton may change the minds of their leaders. The current situation in the US is yet rather clear: the economy is in recession, the president is unpopular and there are expensive conflicts going on. Many European parties in the opposition would like to be in such a situation. However the Democrats could manage to let a Republican succeed to G.W. Bush. Instead of focusing on traditional issues and criticizing his disastrous outcome on social policy, economy or foreign affairs, they only pay attention to the image of their candidates. Image has become a cornerstone: all offensive and defensive strategies have been built on it. This leads to an absence of substance in the speeches of the candidates and to a personal battle.