The Return of Bush-Clinton

During the French presidential election in 2017, the French may once again have to choose between the same candidates as they did in 2012 — François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. Next year, the Americans may also have to be referees in a standoff between Bush and Clinton, just like in … 1992. They would not be the very same people, of course. On one side there is Jeb Bush, son of George H. W. Bush, president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 and brother of George W. Bush, president from 2001 to 2009. In the Clinton camp, there is Hillary Clinton, wife of Bill Clinton, who was in the White House from 1993 to 2001.

In theory, their competence is not an issue. Hillary Clinton, 67, has overseen important cases, including cases when she was first lady. Her husband tasked her with rethinking the American health care system, which paved the way for Barack Obama’s later reform. Furthermore, she was head of American diplomatic affairs under Obama throughout his first term in office. As for Jeb Bush, 62, he served as governor of Florida for the Republican Party from 1999 to 2007. As such, both candidates have genuine governmental experience.

Nevertheless, one cannot help but be troubled by the familial passing down of governance that occurs in a country renowned for giving everyone a chance. But perhaps we will be surprised, as we were in the 2008 election when the Democratic outsider, Barack Obama, took the presidency away from Hillary Clinton. However, it is often felt that the show business-like political system that dominates the United States favors big names that are already ingrained in people’s minds, such as Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush. Whatever the qualities of these two candidates, this is not necessarily good news for the constant renewal process that a democracy demands.