A win for America

The Democrats lost the midterm elections – which is good for the US and for Joe Biden (79). The US president can do what he has always promised: get smart solutions for the entire country, across party lines. The voters have now created the conditions for this.

The expected Republican victory in the House of Representatives turns out to be smaller than predicted. The majority in the Senate is likely to remain paper thin. As a result, no party has been given a clear mandate to carry out its political programme.

Everyone is held accountable. No one can dominate the other. The danger of a political blockade has also diminished. Especially since especially constructive Republicans have prevailed. Power in Washington will be divided over the next two years. The Democrats control the White House, while the Republicans probably control at least one chamber in Congress.

Defeat like a silent triumph

In order to be able to move something in this situation, compromises are necessary. And in the end, it is the citizens who benefit from this. When all parties are involved in the political process, there are usually less extreme and therefore better laws.

For President Biden, his party’s defeat is a silent triumph. Despite high inflation and low popularity figures, he significantly outperformed Presidents Barack Obama (61) and Bill Clinton (76) in the midterm elections, who clearly lost their majority in Congress after their first two years in office.

Biden could handle shared power better than his Democratic predecessors. He spent much of his political career in the Senate, learning how to forge alliances in Congress and integrate opponents. Now he can prove that he is still capable of it.

Peter Hossli is head of the Ringier School of Journalism and spent 12 years as a correspondent in the US.