Free and fair? The Midterms and the state of US democracy

How far will the president of the United States press this time if Tuesday’s Midterm elections don’t go his party’s way? From “only if the Republicans win” campaign promises to a US Justice Department that’s already gotten involved in races, will the White House weigh on the outcome? How will ballot counting go? What’s changed since his “stop the steal” rhetoric begat the January 6th, 2021 storming of the US Capitol?

How much of a stress test for a US democracy where it's individual states, not the federal government that organize elections? Who controls not just the airwaves but also the digital space? If 2024 was the first Tikktok election, this is the first AI election. And if successive court decisions have all but eliminated campaign financing restrictions, then how much will money matter?

In 2024, Democrats told voters that democracy was on the ballot but swing constituencies mostly shrugged and instead broke for Trump on pocketbook issues. Is democracy actually on the ballot this time? And if it is, how much does it matter to citizens?

Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Delphine Liou.

Our guests

• Randy YALOZ President, Republicans Overseas France

• Bernard HARCOURT Professor of Law and Political Theory, Columbia University and EHESS

• Kethevane GORJESTANI FRANCE 24 International Affairs Editor; Former Washington correspondent