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US President Joe Biden
Photo: Evan Vucci / AP
US President Joe Biden wants to push the electoral reform promoted by his Democrats through the Senate with a delicate maneuver.
Biden is in favor of changing voting rules in the House of Lords to implement the plans, a senior White House official said.
In a speech in Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday, the president wants to reaffirm his determination to push through two pieces of legislation on electoral reform against opposition from Republicans.
He also wants to plead for a suspension of the so-called filibuster rule in this case.
According to previously published excerpts from speeches, Biden describes the Senate vote as a "turning point" for the United States.
“Will we prefer democracy to autocracy, light over shadow, justice over injustice?
I know where I stand. «He will not back down» and defend the right to elections and our democracy against all enemies at home and abroad «.
Republicans want to make voting more difficult for minorities
Since the 2020 presidential election, in which Biden prevailed against Donald Trump, the Republicans have been pushing for changes in the electoral law in the states they rule.
You justify this with the alleged susceptibility to fraud of the previous electoral legislation.
Indeed, the endeavors are an attempt to make voting more difficult for minorities, such as African-Americans, who vote democratically in the majority.
This is intended to ensure that the Republicans have greater political influence over the elections.
The reform called for by the Democrats should, among other things, guarantee all US citizens the right to absentee voting as well as the right to vote before the election date.
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In order to enforce the democratic reform project, the filibuster rule would have to be overturned, which provides for a majority of 60 votes in legal proceedings before the text comes to the final vote.
The Democrats, who like the Republicans each have 50 senators, could then push through the project with a simple majority - but all Democratic senators would have to vote for the reform.
In stalemate situations, Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also President of the Senate thanks to her office, has the casting vote.
A suspension of the filibuster rule is very rare and is referred to as the "nuclear option" in the US.
Republicans warn Biden
Republicans condemned the Democrats' plans.
"You want to silence millions of Americans and take over the Senate to influence the elections," said Senate Republican leader, minority leader Mitch McConnell.
His party colleague Lindsey Graham also accused the Democrats of attempting to "take power".
He warned of the consequences of suspending the filibuster.
If the balance of power changed, the Republicans could also resort to such a measure, which would ultimately damage the search for bipartisan consensus in the Senate.
slü / AFP
