US elections: here’s what’s at stake for Europe, in 3 key areas

French President Macron welcomes US Vice President Kamala Harris for a meeting at Elysee Palace In Paris, in November, 2021. Jo Bouroch/Shutterstock by Waya Quiviger, IE University Many pundits are claiming that the 2024 contest will be the most important US election since 1860. Most Europeans would also agree. At stake is not just the future of democracy in America, but arguably the future of the post-World War II international order. Transatlantic relations are the beating heart of this order. They were significantly weakened during the Trump presidency, somewhat bolstered under Biden, and are now dangerously close to being tested again if Trump returns to the White House. The election is also mired in uncertainty. With less than three weeks to go until polling day, Harris and Trump are neck and neck in key swing states. Spiraling conflict in the Middle East will only add further uncertainty to the final stretch before election day. The 2024 race has been one of the most dramatic and unpredictable in recent decades, marked by two assassination attempts on Trump, his recent felony conviction, and Biden’s sudden withdrawal in favor of his Vice President. Given Trump’s track record, we also cannot discount the real...