And if the divided rule?
Should the wheels come off for Trump, this would be another question-mark over Milei’s re-election chances. Leer más
Democracy risks self-destruction due to electoral obsession disorder, a phenomenon that emerged as a result of the World Cup's disappointing performance. This obsession leads to the postponement of investments and structural reforms, despite the importance of addressing debt repayment arrears. President Javier Milei's midterm victory shocked many, but the severity of the previous crisis was directly proportional to the intensity of fears of a Kirchnerite comeback.
Consequently, people voted against Milei. If electioneering consumes governance, people may start believing that China's path to economic progress is superior. Although the presidential elections in Argentina are over 14 months away, the United States midterms are less than three months away. The outcome of the latter could heavily depend on the former, and parallels exist between the two scenarios.
The Democratic primaries in Michigan have seen Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim championing the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), win the senatorial candidate position. Meanwhile, Rashida Tlaib, also Muslim of Palestinian origin, has been elected to the House of Representatives for Michigan's 13th district. El-Sayed's win may lead to the DSA contemplating splitting the opposition party, potentially handing both elections to the Republicans.
However, this might not be the case if Argentina's last presidential elections in 2023 serve as a comparison. Similar to Trump, the outgoing Kirchnerite Frente de Todos government faced significant troubles, primarily due to its presidential candidate Sergio Massa's mismanagement of the economy. Massa's efforts to win the first round did not prevent a run-off, resulting in Milei's presidency.
Similar to Argentina, a split within the United States might not be as detrimental if we consider the percentage of militant turnout compared to the moderate majority. El-Sayed and Mamdani won their primaries due to intense minority militants deploying a larger turnout than a lukewarm majority of moderates. However, a small percentage of the Democratic Party voters identify with socialism, Islam, or woke politics.
If these elements are removed from the party, the Democrats might gain more from a middle-ground disenchanted with Trump than lose from their radical wing's departure. Regardless, the US midterm elections in November should not be considered a lost cause for the Democrats.
Written by urgent.news from Buenos Aires Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
