Pressure on controversial person too great: Biden withdraws preferred candidate for post

So far, the new US President Joe Biden has been able to push through his preferred candidates for top positions.

Now he had to cope with a severe setback for the first time.

Washington DC - More than a month after his inauguration, Joe Biden's cabinet is still incomplete.

This is also because all of his proposals have to be confirmed in the Senate.

Now the US president had to withdraw the nomination of his preferred candidate Neera Tandon for the post of budget director in the White House.

Their confirmation threatened to fail - even within their own ranks.

Because the majority in the Senate are tight for the Democrats.

They have 50 seats, the Republicans also have 50. In a stalemate, Vice President Kamala Harris can use her vote to give her own party a majority.

For a confirmation, however, Tanden should have known at least all 50 Democratic senators behind him.

At the end of February, Joe Manchin announced that he would vote against the candidate from within his own ranks.

Numerous moderate Republicans had also criticized the personnel.

Biden has to back down - top candidate also unpopular in their own ranks

Tanden had been noticed in the past with sharp remarks against ex-President Donald Trump and had criticized Republican MPs on Twitter.

Manchin, for example, declared that their statements were "harmful" to cross-party cooperation.

Nevertheless, Biden had initially stuck to their lineup.

"Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no viable route to confirmation, and I don't want further scrutiny of my nomination to distract from your other priorities," Tanden wrote in a letter

quoted by

Politico

.

She herself asked President Biden in the letter to withdraw her nomination.

He complied with this request on Tuesday evening.

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Controversial candidate Neera Tanden is withdrawing her candidacy for the post of head of household in the White House.

© Chandan Khanna / AFP

High-priced defeat - Biden's pull-back may have serious consequences

The 50-year-old had previously worked as an advisor to the presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and worked for the administration of then President Barack Obama.

Today she heads the left-wing institute Center for American Progress.

But she is also not unreservedly popular in the left-wing Democratic camp.

The nomination had also caused displeasure among Senator Bernie Sanders.

In the past, Tanden had spoken out against proposals for statutory health insurance for everyone.

The withdrawal of their nomination marks the first defeat in terms of cabinet formation for Biden.

All of his other candidates had so far found cross-party approval.

But this setback may come at a high price.

The office of head of budget may not be as well known as other positions, but it is crucial for the functioning of the government.

In addition, Biden's White House has to present a budget in a few weeks or months - and that without an incumbent.

(mam / AFP)

List of rubric lists: © Jim Watson / AFP