Today is Super Tuesday. Ahead of the upcoming 2020 US Presidential elections, European ambassadors and leaders are paying attention. The election of Donald Trump in 2016 has marked a sharp shift in transatlantic relations between Europe and the US. Many political and ideological disagreements have come to the fore between European governments and the Trump administration, with notable clashes that include tariffs, US withdrawals from the Paris climate accords and the Iran nuclear deal.

While it is impossible to turn the clock back to 2016, the upcoming US Presidential elections present an opportunity to improve transatlantic relations or could spell an even greater American turn away from Europe.

Some questions we will be looking at throughout this week’s discussion are:

Is Bernie Sanders a credible alternative to the opposition between centrism and populism?

Has Europe struggled to handle the Trump administration and has a lesson been learned with the US elections coming up?

Can we draw parallels between US politics and European politics? What would the American elections then mean? If Bernie Sanders is nominated, is he doomed to lose as Jeremy Corbyn lost against Boris Johnson, or is this comparison completely ludicrous?

European Wednesdays are student-led weekly debates. No previous debate experience or political background is necessary. We encourage walk-ins, and we value the diversity of perspectives.

Co-organized by Columbia European Society and GEG Columbia (a chapter of Groupe d'Études Géopolitiques). European Wednesdays are part of the "Mardis du Grand Continent" global debate series.