Whoever wins, the world must get behind the new President
The outcome of the US election will be unpalatable for the losing side, but the consequences of not respecting the result would be far worse, says Brandon Lewis
The US election isn’t just about getting a new President – democracy is being tested at a critical time of instability
The outcome of the US election may still be unknown and if the result is as close as expected we may have to wait a week or more for the official declaration, but once confirmed it will be vitally important for allies across the world to unite and get behind the new President. Quickly.
Western democracy has been pressure tested around the world this year, leading to interesting and sometimes surprising results. Friends and enemies have followed outcomes closely and this election is no different. Often revered as a cornerstone of liberty, other countries look to America to set an example and give them hope. They also understand the impact this election will have on the global economy. Something those of us who were part of the brief Liz Truss administration remember all too well – the knock-on effect of decisions taken in markets across the pond was immediate.
The outcome will be extremely unpalatable for people on either side of the political divide, whoever wins – but the consequences of not respecting the result would be far worse. We do not want to see a repeat of the awful scenes from 2020 in Washington DC when momentarily the system of government itself felt under threat. I was on a Zoom call with a senior US Congressman as the situation unfolded and remember the panic as he was whisked away to safety very well.
Further rancour won’t make anything better
None of us know what is to come with any degree of certainty, the polling tells us the election is genuinely too close to call, but one thing is clear – it won’t be better with further rancour over the outcome. The truth is that there may be recounts, States where things are very tight, and long delays – but once officials have declared, accepting a win or a loss is key to protecting global security. And if the US gets behind their new leader we can look towards a period of economic stability and work together with our allies to protect democracy, free speech and the free market that allows us to prosper and grow.
Naïve? Optimistic? Perhaps – but the consequences of not being so are terrifying to say the least. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine show no signs of ending and our collective enemies are all too happy to take a back seat as chaos continues to envelop regions. A new US President will have a chance to move things forward on these fronts positively and that is good for global security and the economy.
We are already seeing damaging changes to trade flows because of instability and the new President, whoever they are, has an opportunity to change that – but they must be afforded the grace and freedom to do so and to tackle those who threaten our way of life. Fighting across the White House lawn, by either side, will make this impossible.
As former President Carter once said; “the best way to enhance freedoms for other lands is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation.” For all our sakes I hope we can remember that.
Brandon Lewis is a former minister and Conservative party chairman