cohabitation With a Democratic Senate, we should see a paralysis for the last two years of Joe Biden’s mandate
Kevin McCarthy hopes to become the next Speaker of the House of Representatives. — CNP/NEWSCOM/SIPA
The suspense is over. Republicans have regained control of the House of Representatives, according to US media on Wednesday, giving them blocking power over Joe Biden’s policy through 2024 and dragging them down. is a division of Congress.
After failing to to seize the Senate, the conservative party will however only have a very narrow majority; to the lower house – probably four or five seats – far from the “giant wave” promised by Donald Trump, who nevertheless announced Tuesday evening a new candidacy for; the White House. The former president’s lieutenants have indeed garnered very mixed results in the midterm elections.
Kevin McCarthy promises “a new leadership »
“Americans are ready for a new direction, and House Republicans are ready for a new direction. take action,” the leader of the Republicans at the House, Kevin McCarthy, now favorite in the race to the head of this assembly, the current “speaker” Nancy Pelosi having lost her majority Democrat.
Democratic President Joe Biden immediately congratulated McCarthy, noting in a statement; that he intends to “work with anyone – Republicans or Democrats – willing to work with me to take action”.
NBC, CNN, Fox News and CBS screened Wednesday that the Republicans would have at least 218 seats in the Chamber, i.e. the majority; of 435. If the projections of the American media are confirmed on all the seats, the performance of Joe Biden would nevertheless constitute the best score of a president in more than 20 years in the United States. mid-term elections, this election being traditionally difficult for the power in place.
Blocking in sight
This very slim majority Republican to the lower house also risks complicating its governance. With a Republican House and a Democratic Senate, Joe Biden’s party will not be able to no longer push through big plans in this now divided Congress. But neither did the other side.
The Republicans had threatened to unravel certain measures adopted under Joe Biden if they regained control of the two chambers. In particular, they wanted to reconsider the funds allocated to the tax services to hire new agents, or on certain reforms in the world of education.
Republicans might also be more fussy about Washington’s aid to Ukraine. They had also planned to tackle the right to life. abortion or to legislate on firearms; fire, which would have pushed Joe Biden at; exercise his right of veto.
Red wall
The 79-year-old president will not ultimately be forced to stick to this defensive posture. On the contrary, he will have to use his talents as a negotiator, inherited from his long career as a senator, to avoid a paralysis of the federal administration (the famous “ ;shutdown”). But the outstretched hand of the president is likely to come up against a red wall, the color of the Conservatives.
Even with a slim majority to In the House, Republicans will have substantial oversight power, which they have promised to use for a host of investigations into Joe Biden’s handling of the pandemic or withdrawal from Afghanistan. They could also take it out on you. his son Hunter, accused; to have used his name to do business in Ukraine and China.
The conservative party intends to exploit any potential Democratic flaw, keeping the 2024 presidential election in sight. With his declaration of candidacy on Tuesday, Donald Trump launched a merciless struggle for the nomination of the Republican Party for the election to the the White House.