UNDER REGISTRATION
Updated Thursday, March 7, 2024-00:10
Donald Trump's resounding victory in the
Super Tuesday
primaries confirms his absolute control over a Republican Party surrendered to the populist drift that it embodies.
It is also a cause of deep concern for Europe due to
the turnaround that a second term for the magnate - isolationist, critical of NATO and sympathetic to Putin - could imprint on the global board
, marked by two wars in which the US plays a crucial role: Ukraine and Gaza.
The strength with which Trump faces the race
ra to the White House after sweeping away the rest of the rivals - Nikki Haley, former ambassador to the UN and last bastion of the anti-Trump resistance, finally threw in the towel yesterday - contrasts with
the weakness of a Joe Biden diminished by his age
, 81 years old (four less than Trump himself), and his physical fragility.
The democratic bases yesterday tarnished their victory with a protest vote that made visible the discomfort due to the lukewarmness that, according to what young people especially criticize, it has exhibited towards Israel in Gaza.
His party's inability to find a stronger candidate than Biden
has given wings to the candidacy of his most polarizing rival.
Under the influence of Trump, the Republican Party has renounced some hallmarks outlined during Reagan's mandate: a foreign policy suspicious of Russia, a determined commitment to the market economy and strong social conservatism.
That orthodoxy has mutated into
a populist protectionism marked by the imposition of tariffs
and an anti-immigration discourse modeled on those used by the extreme right in Europe.
After his victory, Trump stressed that the US is suffering an "invasion."
The incompetence of the Republican Party in articulating a focused candidacy has condemned the party to entrust itself once again to its most toxic asset: a politician who will go down in history for having suffered two
impeachments
and for having ended his mandate by haranguing to storm the Capitol.
The former president, on whom they hang
four judicial cases totaling 91 charges
, has also proven to repel the moderate vote, as demonstrated in the Congressional elections, where the polls penalized the radicals it sponsored, preventing the Republicans from achieving control of the Senate despite Democratic weakness.
At the moment, Haley does not support his candidacy and assures that he will have to
"win over" their voters.
With Trump and Biden as definitive rivals, the November 5 elections are presented as the most crucial in recent US history.
The magnate's possible return to the White House also forces Europe to
reinforce its strategic autonomy.
We must not forget that the former president has threatened to suspend aid to Ukraine and questioned Article 5 of NATO, which guarantees solidarity in the event of an attack on any of its members.
REGISTER FOR FREE TO CONTINUE READING
You have already consumed all the free items this month
If you are a registered user of EL MUNDO you will enjoy:
Unlimited access to articles under registration
Exclusive newsletters
Access to comments and opinions
Sign up free
Do you already have a user or are you Premium?
Log in