From "America First" to "Problems First"? The Biden administration - an initial assessment after 100 days

from Dr Michael Kolkmann

DOI: 10.36206/BP2021.01

In his first 100 days in the White House, the new US President Joe Biden has set an ambitious pace. The key political challenges included combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid development of a vaccination strategy, the reversal of many of the previous administration's decisions and a widely publicised climate policy initiative. In addition to substantive aspects, reforms to the political system are also on the agenda. However, Biden can only rely on narrow majorities in the Democratic Party in Congress to implement these reforms.

The most important facts in brief:

1. For US President Joe Biden, the key challenges of his first 100 days in office were combating the COVID-19 pandemic, including the rapid development of a vaccination strategy. Biden has received great public support for his COVID-19 policy, but also for other priorities in the past three months.
2. Even if the tone of the political debate has improved: Key issues of conflict with Germany and Europe remain, such as relations with China, trade issues and the Nordstream 2 project.
3. In Congress, Biden can rely on narrow majorities in the Democratic Party to realise his political priorities. The Democrats' legislative record over the next year and a half will help decide the outcome of the mid-term elections in November 2022.