Midterms 2022: moment of truth for an American democracy under tension

The mid-term elections, which are held Tuesday, November 8 in the United States, are involved in an extreme polarization and threat climate on democratic mechanisms.

By Piotr Smolar (Washington, correspondent)

There are many ways to approach the mid-term elections, organized in the United States on Tuesday, November 8. By the natural pendulum of politics: they are generally unfavorable to the ruling party. The Republicans hope to regain control of the House of Representatives, and perhaps the Senate, which will be played in a handful of key states. If it happened, the White House would turn into a citadel for two years, subject to the investigations launched by the right. But caution is essential: since August, five by -elections as well as a referendum in Kansas on abortion have allowed Democrats to figure well, to everyone’s surprise. And the spectacular weight of early voting – already 40 million bulletins – is not really taken into account in the polls.

It is also the first post-Cavid ballot, Joe Biden having announced in mid-September that “the pandemic [was] finished”. This was nonexistent in national debates, but it played a major role in the spread of hostility and paranoia, on the right, against experts and federal elites. The dominant subject is the economic question. A deep pessimism reigns over the orientation of the country, which the Democrats seemed to be wrong, wrongly. Inflation (8.5 % over one year) is a rare transpartisan subject, more striking in proportion to the most fragile households.

And then there is the longer story, the reflection of America in its mirror. Rarely the polls will also have appeared uncertain, beyond an important participation, announced by the early vote. But these midterms cannot be reduced to a question of possible parliamentary work -study. Two certainties are already essential and do not depend on a few seats in favor of the Reds (Republicans) or the Blues (Democrats). The first concerns the return to normality embodies Joe Biden in the exercise of power, the restoration of presidential dignity and a correct operation of the institutions.

After the Trump era, this correction is indisputable. But it seems to be extraordinary fragility, as soon as it is limited to the only executive power. All around, the toxic particles have intensified in two years. “The truth is that Joe Biden did not take it with 81 million votes, and if you think he did it, it is you followed by conspiracy theories,” said Kari Lake there is A few days, in a rhetorical reversal which testifies to the confusion maintained. Candidate for the post of Governor in Arizona, she is sometimes cited as possible hardware by Donald Trump in 2024.

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/Media reports.