Summary
21 January 2013
According to one survey, 75% of Europeans would have voted for President Obama if they could, compared to only 8% who would have chosen the Republican Mitt Romney. But what does Europe want from Obama's second term?
Reporter:
Christian Fraser
A new dawn, or more of the same from Obama?
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Report
In President Obama's second term there are two longer-term developments that will affect the relationship with Europe. The first is the US budget deficit, the second the so-called "pivot" - or the rebalancing of focus towards Asia.
America's finances will mean, now even more than in the first term, the US will be what some have called a "frugal superpower" - leading from behind as they did in Libya, and as they look to be doing in Mali.
But then that frugal nature is not altogether bad news. The US remains by far the biggest customer for European exporters.
Generally the Europeans are content with the status quo. The last thing they need at a time when Europe is so embroiled in its own internal debates, is the external distraction of a change in guard across the pond.
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Vocabulary
- budget deficit
the amount of money a government needs to clear its debt
- frugal
careful with spending
- leading from behind
playing an important part without being seen to be making all the decisions
- look to be
seem to be
- altogether
completely
- by far
by a great amount
- status quo
the current situation
- embroiled in
involved with something difficult or complicated
- change in guard
change in leadership
- across the pond
on the other side of the Atlantic (used by the UK and US to refer to each other)
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