THE WORLD THIS WEEK

Chaotic first US Presidential debate

What happened?

On 29 September, President Trump and Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden had a heated exchange on the first of three Presidential Debates in Cleveland, Ohio, where they squared off on several topics. The debate touched upon various issues which are igniting the Presidential race, including the vacant Supreme Court seat, COVID-19, the ongoing protests against racial inequality, healthcare, climate change and mail-in ballots. This was the first of the three debates scheduled ahead of the US elections on 3 November 2020. The debate was chaotic and was criticized the world over. The moderator of the debate, Chris Wallace of the Fox News, was seen struggling to control the debate which was largely full of interruptions from President Trump. Joe Biden has asked the Commission on Presidential Debates to find a way to control the number of interruptions at future debates, and said the way Trump conducted himself at the debate was a “national embarrassment”.

The most noticeable and discussed line coming out of the debate has been Joe Biden’s rather frustrating retort to Trump’s constant hectoring and interruptions, “Will you shut up, man?”. An estimated 73 million viewers followed the first Presidential debate.

What does it mean?

The United States Commission on Presidential Debates has said it would make changes to the debate format after the first debate proved to be chaotic and full of interruptions. This has given rise to a debate within the United States Commission on Presidential Debates on the possible move to gag candidates. The Republican Party has criticized the prospective move, even as Trump has claimed to have won the first debate. However, Biden has been ahead of Trump in most national polls since the start of the year and is currently leading in major battleground states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where the Republicans won in 2016.

The next Presidential debate is expected to take place on 15 October in Miami, followed by 22 October 2020. The next debate is a town hall format where real voters are going to have the chance to engage the candidate. However, uncertainties remain after the President tested positive for the Coronavirus.

France: New bill to prevent Islamic separatism

What happened?

On 2 October 2020, President Emmanuel Macron introduced a bill to defend France’s secular values against what he called Islamic separatism, with the view that the religion is under threat from across the globe. He proclaims that the bill intends to free Islam from any foreign influences in order to rein in the influence of radical Islam in the country and help develop what he called an ‘Islam of France’ compatible with the nation’s republican values.

In a long-awaited speech on the subject, President Macron also said that the negative influence of Islamism must be eradicated from all public institutions, in a drive to push religion out of the public education and employment sector in France. The measures also include placing stringent limits on home-schooling and increasing the scrutiny of religious schools and at the same time, making all organizations that solicit public funds sign a ‘Charter of Secularism’. While these measures would apply to all communities, they are intended to counter the extremist elements from those who identify themselves as Muslims. He further stated that these measures were important in the context of improving the ability of the French citizens to live together, while eradicating the ill-effects of Islamism, amid the fears of terrorist attacks the country has faced in the recent years.

What does it mean?

Although the law permits people to belong to any faith of their choosing, it would prohibit the outward displays of religious affiliation in public affairs and places of education, in addition to the already banned practice of wearing a hijab. This has created a serious backlash among the Muslim activists as they believe that Macron’s views come across as emboldening the farright, anti-Muslim leftists and threatening the lives of Muslim students by calling for drastic limits on home-schooling despite a global pandemic.

While France is re-evaluating its relationship with its Muslim minority, the largest in Europe, the members of the Muslim community have consistently denounced these acts, describing them as going against the precepts of their religion. A wide majority of Muslims believe that such a law would take away their right to normality and practising their faith without pressure. Macron’s speech addresses a deep-rooted problem of the French society: its enduring difficulty to integrate the minority communities at large, particularly the Muslim population of immigrants and their descendants. This is likely to further contribute to the existing inequalities and discrimination among the French public, also leading to radicalization and sociological as well as ideological depreciation at the extreme.

Democratic candidate for President of US, Joe Biden and US President, Donald Trump

Also in the News

Australia and NZ to open their borders partially

On 2 October, Australia and New Zealand announced a partial opening of borders to allow travel between the two countries. Passengers will be able to fly to the Australian cities of Sydney and Darwin without going into quarantine from October 16 if they have spent at least two weeks in parts of New Zealand that are not considered to be a COVID-19 hot spot, and New Zealand will continue to insist on travellers from Australia going into hotel quarantine for two weeks after arrival.

Amnesty International pauses operations in India

On 29 September, the Amnesty International closed its operations in India, following the government freezing its bank accounts, bringing its operations to a grounding halt.

The Amnesty International has accused the government of muzzling its voice for raising concerns over Kashmir, treatment of minorities and the Citizenship Amendment Act. New Delhi issued a statement explaining the need for NGOs to adhere to laws of the host country, particularly with respect to foreign funding and their sources. However, the decision has been criticized by the human rights organizations across the world, the European Union, the US Congress, and the United Kingdom.

India-Japan Naval exercise in the Arabian Sea

During 27-29 September, the two Navies of India and Japan participated in the fourth edition of the naval exercise - JIMEX-20. The primary focus of the exercise was ensuring a high degree of interoperability and joint operational skills through “multi-faceted tactical exercises involving weapon firings, crossdeck helicopter operations and complex surface, anti-submarine and air warfare drills.” JIMEX-20 is the first naval exercise after both countries signed a mutual logistics support agreement in early September.

Armenia calls for ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

On 2 October, Armenia stated that it was ready to engage with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to re-establish a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia said it was ready to engage with France, Russia, and the United States “to re-establish a ceasefire regime.” The statement comes a day after the three countries called for an immediate ceasefire in Karabakh. According to reports, nearly 200 have been killed, including more than 30 civilians.

Pompeo urges Vatican not to renew China accord

On 1 October, Pompeo met Vatican’s Secretary of State and the Foreign Minister, a visit that seems to have irritated the Vatican over the extension of the China accord. Pompeo was seen accusing the Holy See of putting its “moral authority” at risk if it renewed an agreement with China on the appointment of bishops. According to the Vatican Secretary of State, the Vatican “asserts (the right to move forward) with a choice that has been thought through, reflected on, prayed over, a choice the pope has made, therefore the freedom to move forward.”

French President, Emmanuel Macron

US President tests positive for COVID-19

On 2 October, President Trump tested positive for COVID-19. The White House stated that the President would continue to work, even as they go into quarantine.

Due to his appearance alongside Trump, Democrat Presidential candidate Joe Biden was subjected to the COVID-19 test, and he tested negative. With elections in November, Trump’s quarantine is set to pose further obstacles to the campaign plan.

About the Authors: Dr Vivek Mishra is Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi; Harini Madhusudan and Rashmi BR, PhD Scholars, NIAS; Shreya Sinha PhD Scholar, Jawaharlal Nehru University; and Sourina Bej, Project Associate, NIAS.