American elections: Democrat, Republican, Green or Libertarian, who are the five candidates vying for the presidency of the United States

Kamala Harris (Democratic Party)

The 60-year-old vice president was named Democratic Party nominee after Joe Biden withdrewpushed in this direction by high-ranking Democratic elected officials concerned about the ability of the current tenant of the White House, 81 years old, to win the election and govern for four more years.

This allowed Democrats to put forward a vision of a renewed America, to mark a contrast with Donald Trump's program and attempt to reignite enthusiasm among young voters, people of color and women. Former senator and former attorney general of California, Kamala Harris became the first woman and first person of color to serve as vice president after Joe Biden chose her in 2020 as his running mate. In case of victory, she will become the first female president of the United Statesin 248 years of history.

She chose as her running mate Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota.

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According to opinion polls, Kamala Harris is neck and neck with Donald Trump in voting intentions nationally. A Reuters/Ipsos poll carried out at the end of October gave him a marginal lead.

The Democratic vice president has made reproductive rights and personal freedoms a rallying crysupporting a law intended to codify access to safe abortion. Regarding the economy – the main concern of Americans according to opinion polls – she foresees tax cuts for a large part of the population, to regulate the prices of food products, to encourage the purchase of affordable real estate or to strengthen manufacturing production in the country. Kamala Harris also proposes raising the corporate tax rate, from 21% to 28%, and eliminating the tax on tips.

She promised to strengthen border controls in the face of illegal immigration and smuggling of fentanyl.

In terms of climate and energy, it is in line with the positions of Joe Biden, who has made the fight against climate change a priority. Although she has tackled antitrust and user data protection cases at tech giants, she is not seen as hostile to the sector and has otherwise sought to reassure donors that'she supported capitalism.

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For foreign policy, it is expected that Kamala Harris will not move away from Joe Biden's main political lines when it comes toUkraineof the Chine and theIran. She called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conclude a ceasefire for the Gaza Strip, while reaffirming Washington's military support for Israel and taking a hard line against Hamas, saying the Palestinian movement must be “eliminated”.

During the campaign, Kamala Harris received the support of major unions, including the auto workers and the teachers' federation. Former military representatives, business leaders and former high-ranking Republican elected officials have lent their support to the Democratic vice-president.

Donald Trump (Republican Party)

Announced favorite of the Republican primaries, Donald Trump, 78 ansvery quickly ensured that he was the party's candidate for the November election, his third presidential campaign after 2016 and 2020. The former president continues to repeat without proof that the Democrats have “stolen” the 2020 election and denounces it as “witch hunt” politically motivated by the various legal proceedings targeting him, including an indictment for his attempts to reverse his electoral defeat against Joe Biden. Donald Trump promised “reprisals” against those he perceives as his enemies, while making disturbing comments about a threat “from the inside” in the United States and considering deploying the army on American territory.

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The first president in the history of the country to have been criminally convicted last May in New York, he was also the first tenant of the White House to be targeted by two impeachment procedures. He denies any wrongdoing. Donald Trump, who chose as his running mate JD Vance, Senator from Ohiorefused to commit to accepting the results of the 2024 presidential election and did not rule out possible political violence. He and his Republican allies laid the foundations for challenge a potential electoral defeat in court. The former president promised to pardon his supporters convicted and imprisoned for the bloody assault on the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021. At the same time, he threatened, if he returns to the White House, to prosecute election officials, donors and others. He also wants to replace federal civil servants with loyalists.

Since the withdrawal of Joe Biden, he is the oldest of the candidates. If he wins, he would become the second-oldest American president in history.

When it comes to foreign policy, Donald Trump has promised to fundamentally review the role of the United States in NATO and quickly end the war in Ukraine with potential peace negotiations that would require Kyiv to cede territory to Russia. He repeats that Palestinian Hamas must be “crushed” and promises to take a tougher stance on Iran, without having given details or made specific policy proposals.

As in the past, he made immigration a major theme, promising mass deportationsnotably Haitian immigrants present in Springfield, Ohio who benefit from temporary legal protection status. He intends to put an end to land law and ban visas for nationals of certain countries.

Donald Trump takes credit for the decision of the United States Supreme Court, to which he appointed three judges during his mandate from 2017 to 2021, to remove in 2022 the federal guarantee of protection of the right to abortion. He believes that laws regarding abortion must be decided at the level of American states, while saying that he is not in favor of banning the contraceptive pill.

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When it comes to the economy, the Republican candidate plans toimpose high customs duties on a range of imported products, particularly targeting certain companies and certain countries. He promises to lift taxes on overtime and tips, as well as lower the corporate tax rate. Donald Trump also promises to undo most of the environmental measures decided by Joe Biden. He recruited the former Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr. within his transition team after the latter ended his campaign for the November 5 election. He also expressed his wish to entrust a government role to the billionaire Elon Muska strong supporter and donor. Several police unions have supported Donald Trump.

Chase Oliver (Libertarian Party)

If the Libertarian Party invited Donald Trump to take part in its convention, it ultimately chose as candidate Chase Oliver, 39, who obtained 2% of the vote when he ran for a senatorial seat in Georgia during the 2022 congressional midterm elections.

Jill Stein (Les Verts)

Already a Green candidate in 2016, Jill Stein, 74, is campaigning again for the White House, accusing the Democrats of having betrayed “again and again” the promises made “to workers, to young people, and to climate issues”. She criticizes the Republicans for “don't even make such promises in the first place”.

European environmental parties on Friday called on the candidate of the American Green Party, Jill Stein, to withdraw her candidacy for the presidential election in favor of Kamala Harris, as the race for the White House is expected to be close.

Cornel West (Independent)

Political activist, philosopher and academician, Cornel West, 71, seeks to attract progressive voters, mostly from the left. Although he initially wanted to obtain the Green nomination, he declared himself independent in October 2023, believing that American voters wanted “good policies rather than partisan politics”.

It promises an end to poverty and a housing guarantee.

Election Day takes place on the night of Tuesday October 5 to Wednesday October 6. The seven pivotal states “swing states” (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) will be particularly scrutinized, their result could tip the scales for one of the two favorites, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.