Geopolitical Europe Pulse: US election prep kit
31 October 2024
Happy Halloween? Not really, as the US elections might actually become much scarier than trick and treat — and it is no secret that the Trump scenario is the one European capitals and Brussels fear most. Regardless of the outcome, the US elections will have a significant impact on European security as well as the decisions Europeans will make to address broader international challenges. This edition of the Geopolitical Europe Pulse is an ultimate condensed US election prep kit, with a selection of articles on the potential implications for Europe and beyond.
Trump II: What’s at stake for Europe? “A realistic engagement with the far-reaching consequences of “Trump 2.0” is urgently needed now to prepare and build political support for necessary actions”, write Brandon Bohrn and Dr. Peter Walkenhorst from the Bertelsmann Foundation. Their fresh-off-the-press policy brief analyses how a Trump election would affect European interests regarding security and NATO, Ukraine, economy and trade, technology, and democracy and the international order.
Short but not sweet: This article in Financial Times bounces scary military scenarios for Europe under a second Trump term.
Make Europeans do more: The article “A post-American Europe” was already included in a previous edition of the Geopolitical Europe Pulse, but it is certainly worth another read. The authors’ argument in a nutshell: “It’s time for Washington to europeanize NATO and give up responsibility for the continent’s security”. And indeed, both Harris and Trump might aim to do this, yet in very different ways.
Goodbye multilateralism? “US withdrawal from multilateral institutions predates Trump and might well continue under a Kamala Harris presidency. European leaders should therefore act now to build a more resilient multilateralism without the US”, argues Tim Heinkelmann-Wild in LSE Ideas.
Rethinking transatlantic relations beyond the elections: Regardless of the next President in the White House, the many structural challenges of the transatlantic relationship need to be addressed — and a key element of this is Europe doing more for its security and defence. The policy brief “Time is Almost Up” provides an overview of the state of the transatlantic relationship after the Biden years and has concrete recommendations how the relationship could be reformed.
Done with reading and still time until the elections? Maybe a good reason to grab a treat, this should be part of any good prep in any case.