Whither democracy: While many countries in the world are appalled at how the US presidential election is being handled, they are also taking away some good lessons. — AP
AS I write this, Joe Biden seems to be on the verge of victory over Donald Trump, in a general election that has turned out to be much closer than polls suggested (A “nail-biter, ” as my sister in Massachusetts described it). Vaguely reminiscent of the Philippine vice presidential race in 2016, Trump appeared to be winning in key battleground states, but as more urban votes and mail-in ballots were counted, the trend began to favor the former vice president.
The relevance of US elections to the Philippines and the rest of the world, is quite obvious and goes beyond our (post)colonial relationship, as well as our personal relationships with our American relatives – Biden and Trump supporters alike. Aside from America looming large in Philippine foreign policy, the US president’s decisions and stances on matters like climate change, public health, and human rights have global consequences. As if to emphasise this point, the US formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement the day after the elections following Trump’s pledge back in 2017, while Biden has already pledged to rejoin it on his first day in office.
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