Europe Responds to the 2020 U.S. Election figurehead the same way right-wing parties have in the Trump era. In fact, many far-left leaders have rejected Biden as a leader who will bring about meaningful change, only perceiving his election positively as it indicates an end of the Trump administration. For example, the Spanish Communist party released a statement expressing happiness at the end of the Trump administration, but casting doubt that “the Biden presidency will mean profound changes in the foreign and domestic policy of the United States.”176 Fabien Roussel, the leader of the Parti communiste français, congratulated Biden’s win but emphasized the victory of the 27 Democratic Socialist candidates who were elected in the Congressional race.177 While many on the far-left may consider Biden as a positive alternative to Trump, he is still viewed as a member of the establishment center-left, and thus unlikely to enact policies they support. American influence on the European political landscape and the effectiveness of European policies on issues such as climate change is not inconsequential. The Trump Presidency and the 2020 U.S. election ushered in a new era of uncertainty for America’s European allies and as such, the resounding response from European nations was a call for greater self-reliance and a desire to untether themselves from the increasingly unreliable American influence.
A More Self-Reliant European Economy The primary area in which European leaders and economists recognize a need to push for greater autonomy is in the economic sphere. This desire for a more self-reliant European economy is not a recent phenomenon but one that has been the result of increased economic integration within the EU and the rising power of Europe’s single market. This desire has been exacerbated by drastic and unexpected events such as Brexit, the coronavirus pandemic, and President Trump’s trade wars. The emphasis on greater economic independence is, unsurprisingly, driven by Europe’s largest economies, France and Germany.
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