IRMO Brief 07/2020, "Presidential Election in November: High Stakes in the US"

Introduction
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The presidential election in the United States, scheduled for November 3, are perceived by many as decisive for the future of America and the world as they will respond to the crucial question: Is the US strong enough to preserve
a dominant position in the multipolar world in which old alliances are crumbling and new rivalries arising? In the middle of 2020, in the world struck by the coronavirus crisis the pivotal question surpasses just the dilemma between US foreign policy doctrines – “America First’’ or “global policeman”, but rather defines the very structure of the world order and America’s
position in it. While considering this, one has to bear in mind that the US is still the biggest super power in the world. American economy, measured by nominal GDP, is still one-third bigger than the Chinese economy, comprising
21.5 trillion dollars compared to Chinese 14 trillion. Its military has still no real match in the world, and along with Russia, the US is the only nuclear super power. The US is also at the core of NATO, a military and political alliance with no matching adversary. Still, since March the US has been facing an unprecedented crisis and has been the worst hit country in the world
by the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by spiking unemployment rates and mass racial violence.

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