The Senate runoff is in the hands of Kamala Harris

Senators, this Wednesday on Capitol Hill in Washington.POOL / Reuters

If the latest projections on the outcome of the Georgia by-elections are confirmed, the Senate will be divided into 50 seats for Republicans and another 50, including two independents, for Democrats, but Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be able to break any possible a tie in favor of her party, since her new position implies being the president of the upper house as well.

This advantage for Democrats, however, does not allow ruling out an abrupt legislature and against it by their political adversaries, who have controlled the Senate since 2014.

Even so, in order to get the Democratic Administration up and running, it will have much easier to confirm the candidates nominated by the president-elect, Joe Biden, as members of his Cabinet -the approval of the Senate is mandatory-, as well as to promote its legislative priorities, given that in many cases a simple majority of 51 votes is enough to approve or prevent a change in the Senate.

This instance is also key for the approval of the judges of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country.

Democratic control of the Senate, thanks to Harris's casting vote, is no guarantee, however, that Biden can carry out the most ambitious measures of his program in the environment, health coverage and economy.

The very narrow margin implies that the most radical bills - for example the recovery of repealed parts of Obamacare or the gradual ban on

, or hydraulic fracturing, which is very unpopular in areas whose economy depends on this method - must also be supported by senators. centrist Democrats like Joe Manchin of West Virginia and the two senators from Arizona.

The Senate has the power to produce legislation, draft or modify bills, and to filibuster, that is, to delay or block legislation through a prolonged debate that must be settled with a majority of 60 votes.

The Senate also has the capacity to supervise the executive branch, approving or rejecting the presidential nominees for the different agencies.

The Senate has sole power of any impeachment trial of executive and judicial officials, with a two-thirds vote required for conviction.

A two-thirds vote can also override a presidential veto on a bill.

The Senate ratifies the treaties with other nations that were negotiated by the executive branch.

The vice president is recognized as the president of the Senate, but has no vote, except in the case of a tie.

Twenty committees make up the Senate, which is part of the legislative branch of the Government.

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