United States: the battle is on for the appointment of a new Supreme Court justice

The tribute to the Supreme Court after the death of the judge of the institution, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in Washington, on September 19 REUTERS / Carlos Barria

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8 min

After the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg in the United States, there is now a seat to be taken on the Supreme Court and Republicans want to appoint a conservative judge there.

This could tip the institution to the right and have a lasting impact on the country's justice and laws, especially on the issue of abortion.

An appointment denounced by the Democrats, less than two months before the presidential election.

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With our correspondent in New York, 

In 2016, the leader of the Republican majority in the Senate had prevented Barack Obama from appointing a judge to the Supreme Court ten months before the presidential election, arguing that it was necessary to wait for the arrival of a new president.

Today, the same Mitch McConnell says he is ready to support the appointment of a successor to

.

He believes that the situation is not the same today given that the majority in the Senate and the current president are from the same political party.

In principle, the appointment of a new magistrate lasts between 40 and 70 days.

The presidential election is 45 days away.

This would mean that the Senate could come into force just before the inauguration of the new president, on January 20.

In any case, Mitch McConnell sent a letter to the Republican senators telling them to be ready, even if three of them had said against such a procedure.

And Donald Trump this Saturday morning, confirmed that they were going for a nomination.

" 

" tweeted the president.

. @ GOP We were put in this position of power and importance to make decisions for the people who so proudly elected us, the most important of which has long been considered to be the selection of United States Supreme Court Justices.

We have this obligation, without delay!

  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2020

The president is of course aware that the appointment of a third Conservative judge to the Supreme Court will strengthen his support among the Conservative electorate.

A crucial advantage for his

.

A position that provokes indignation on the side of the Democrats who believe that it should be up to the president elected in November to appoint a new judge.

► See also: United States: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the death of a law icon

♦ Can Trump get a vote in the Senate?

The American president wants to seize this nomination to galvanize his electorate but he will come up against the United States Senate controlled by the Republicans, of course, but who are not all on the same line.

Trump can pass with the help of Senate Leader Mitch McConnell who is worth it, but a number of Republicans have already announced before Ginsburg's death that they will not vote.

That is, they would not vote for anyone before November 3.

Lauric Henneton, lecturer at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en Yvelines

Vincent Souriau

♦ A risky bet

US scholar Lauric Henneton also warns against the independent electorate.

According to him the American president takes the risk of pointing the undecided ones and they will weigh heavily in the balance on November 3.

It may be a miscalculation on the part of Trump who wants to over-mobilize his base which is already mobilized and who will scare the moderates away.

Lauric Henneton, lecturer at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en Yvelines

Vincent Souriau

For Lauric Henneton, the presidential election is already highly polarized between the conservative electorate and the anti-Trump camp.

It will change the tone of the campaign, its coverage, but maybe the fact that it will not change anything for example in the polls is information in itself.

This would show us, if we still had to show it, that the camps are extremely divided, its polarization is maximum.

Lauric Henneton, lecturer at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en Yvelines

Vincent Souriau

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• United States

• Donald trump

• USA Elections 2020

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