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Opinions On US Presidential Elections
International Community Has Strong
Opinions On US Presidential Elections 		PDF Print E-mail
By Justine MacWilliam   
Wednesday, 03 November 2004

This year's US presidential election is said to be the most highly anticipated in more than half a century, not only for the United States, but for the world. The impact of the election will be felt far beyond US borders and many foreign nationals have very strong opinions about whom they would like to see in the White House for the next four years. According to Attiya Noon, a third year history major from Pakistan, "In general, people feel strongly about US elections because US foreign and economic policies effect all of us—by virtue of the US being the (world's only remaining) superpower."

International interest in the United States elections has led to the founding of several internet sites dedicated to conducting a world vote for US president. TheWorldVotes.org is one such site whose stated mission is to "provide citizens of the world with a voice in matters that affect us all" through the use of the internet. The website allows people around the world to register and then electronically vote for their chosen US presidential candidate in order to "add momentum to a worldwide effort to establish global democracy." The results of the global vote, published today, show that the vast majority of the world would vote for John Kerry who received 81.6% of the votes cast by 10,000 global citizens, whereas George W. Bush, the incumbent, was favored by 6.1%, with the remaining 12.3% voting for other candidates.

A more statistically sound survey conducted by the University of Maryland this summer also showed that if the election were carried out worldwide, John Kerry would win the presidency by a landslide. The survey of 34,330 people showed that the majority of people in 30 out of 35 countries would elect Kerry; with about 50% of those surveyed favoring of the democrat, 20% opting for Bush, and the remainder expressing no preference. Other surveys have found similar results.

President George W. Bush's willingness to take unilateral action in many arenas such as the war in Iraq, unwillingness to partake in international institutions such as the International Criminal Court, strongly religious outlook and casual Texas style have perhaps contributed to his unpopularity abroad.

German second year Manuel Adolphsen explains, " It has become apparent in the last four years that the Bush Administration is not able to follow a path of sustainable, responsible policies. Its reaction to 9/11, its isolationist tendencies, its intervention in Iraq, its fundamentalist worldview—there are numerous reasons that make me object to the Bush Administration being in charge of governing the only remaining superpower on Earth." Attiya is less diplomatic, simply stating, "Bush is stupid."

Unlike Bush, Democrat John Kerry advocates a US return to international cooperation and secular politics and projects a more refined image, which probably add to the strength of his international support. Still, the global preference for Senator Kerry may be more of a case of an "anyone but Bush" attitude rather than a specific favoritism for the democrat.

Manuel points out, "My support for John Kerry is mainly caused by a profound aversion to the Bush Administration's key figures and their policies. However, I am also convinced that Kerry would be a more responsible, statesmanlike, and globally accepted president."

Manuel's roommate and fellow German Tino Kreutzer agrees, "(Kerry) might not be the best candidate of all time, but this time all that counts is to get Bush out of the White House. There are a million reasons Kerry is better; and he has a better record in every respect. Even on issues where I disagree with Kerry, I disagree much more strongly with Bush."

Still, surveys have found that nations such as Israel, Russia and Poland widely favor the current U.S. president. Bush's strong commitment to the "War on Terror" is probably a powerful contributing factor to the support from Russia and Israel, two countries for whom, like the United States, terrorism is a major concern.

Furthermore, Bush's Republican party has a large constituency of Christian fundamentalists whose religious beliefs lead them to endorse the existence of the state of Israel as a biblical mandate from God and who advocate Jewish settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. This uncompromising backing of Israel leads many Zionists to favor the Republican Party in elections.

Additionally, in Poland where, according to Polish third year Karol Tyszka, many people are devout Christians and politically tend toward the right, the conservative and zealously Christian Bush is a natural favorite.

Whomsoever the favorite may be abroad, the race appears to be evenly split in the US as citizens take to the polls to cast their ballots. Much of the world will wait with bated breath as the voters of America, many unaware of the immense repercussions of their decisions in the booth, decide the fate of people the world over.
 
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