It is one of the most followed elections. After unbearable suspense and a campaign full of twists and turns worthy of a Hollywood scenario, its outcome still promises big changes. And for good reason, the return of Donald Trump to the White House could well have an impact that goes beyond the borders of his country.
Geopolitics, climate issues, economics…. So many subjects that could influence our daily lives and our way of consuming. We take stock.
A Europe that stands together on the Ukrainian question
Following the announcement of the election of the Republican candidate, Europe did not fail to react. Emmanuel Macron and the German chancellor Olaf Scholzwhile publicly congratulating Donald Trump on his victory, held discussions on Wednesday to develop a European strategy facing a more transactional American presidencye. “We will work towards a more united, stronger and more sovereign Europe in this new context,” Macron said on X.
If Volodymyr Zelensky had claimed, before the election of Donald Trump, to be “aware of all the risks” that a victory for the latter would imply, he welcomed on Wednesday on X the commitment of Mr. Trump in favor of the doctrine of “keeping peace by force” in international politics. A clever way of quickly reminding him that leaving the keys to kyiv to Vladimir Putin was not an option.
NATO: a real risk for the Alliance?
Many observers fear precisely that Moscow, encouraged by a less dissuasive American policy, will continue to expand its territorial ambitions.
However, many European supporters of Ukraine say they “poorly prepared” for a return of Trump at the White House, observes Georgina Wright, expert in European politics at the Montaigne Institute in Paris, in The New York Times. The American daily estimates that analysts and political leaders fear a strengthening trade tensions, increased demand for funding for NATO, less certain US military aid and an encouragement on the part of Trump to the expansion of anti-democratic populism.
Trump has suggested he could ignore NATO article stipulating collective defense, a pillar of stability in Europe since the Second World War. He declared that he “would encourage” Russia to “do what she wants” towards countries which do not contribute sufficiently to the financing of the Alliance.
The fact is nothing new. Indeed, already during his first mandate, the republican leader has continued to castigate the Atlantic alliancedeploring an American contribution that was too high for his liking, and believing that member countries had to take their responsibilities and revise their budgets upwards in terms of defense.
The defense of human rights taken a back seat?
On another subject, still in The New York Times, Frank Mugisha, Ugandan LGBTQ+ rights activist, expressed fears regarding the treatment of minorities around the world: “I fear that Trump will do less to defend LGBTQ+ human rights. If attacked, he risks looking the other way.”
A drop in fuel prices in France?
What if the election of Donald Trump made lower the price of fuel in France? This is exactly what could happen. The president-elect made it clear during his campaign, he wants drill more to extract more hydrocarbons. The goal? Lower the price of oil, regardless of the environmental issues.
Exports: the products of French companies in Donald Trump’s sights
For our businesses too, the election of Donald Trump will have consequences. And that’s not exactly good news. Always in the same line of conduct of its program “America first”, certain products, particularly French, could well be taxed.
What makes us famous, like wine or cheese, should be taxed between 10 to 20%. Consequently, the volume of imports of vin and of cheese should be much less important and the products sold more expensively. Americans should then turn to local products, it is the return of Made in America, which promises a fierce competition.
