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Washington (AP) - Former US President Barack Obama has campaigned for the election of the two Democratic candidates in the state of Georgia for the US Senate.
"You have to understand that this is not just about Georgia," Obama said on Friday in an online event organized by the Democrats in the state.
"This is about America and this is about the world."
The runoff elections for the two Senate seats in Georgia are of paramount importance because they determine the majority in the powerful US Senate.
In the two runoff elections on January 5, the two Republican incumbents, David Purdue and Kelly Loeffler, will run against the Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.
So far, incumbent President Donald Trump's Republicans have a slim majority of 52 of the 100 seats in the Senate.
Should the Democrats manage to win the two seats in Georgia, there would be a stalemate in this Chamber of Parliament.
Then the elected Vice President Kamala Harris would have the last word in the event of a tie - and the Democrats would effectively have a majority.
In the November 3rd election, the Democrats were able to defend their majority in the House of Representatives - the other chamber of parliament.
Trump lost the presidential election at the same time to the Democrat Joe Biden.
Harris ran for Biden as a runner-up candidate.
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The runoff election in Georgia will decide whether not only the White House and the House of Representatives, but also the Senate will be dominated by Democrats.
Obama warned on Friday that the outcome of the Georgia runoff election would also have a major impact on the Biden presidency.
If the Republicans can hold their majority in the Senate, "then they can block almost anything".
The Senate must approve important personnel decisions by the President.
In addition, the approval of both chambers - i.e. the House of Representatives and the Senate - is a prerequisite for the passing of draft laws.
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