American Elections 2008: The foreign policy positions of the leading candidates for President

Article

This short background briefing paper introduces the emerging foreign policy positions of the leading candidates for the White House and highlights key points of difference between individual candidates on the one hand, and between overall Democratic and Republican outlooks on the other.

Europeans are watching the 2008 presidential election in the United States more closely than any in recent memory. Few American leaders have been as unpopular in Europe as George W. Bush, and many across the continent are hoping for big changes from the next American president.

This short background briefing paper introduces the emerging foreign policy positions of the leading candidates for the White House and highlights key points of difference between individual candidates on the one hand, and between overall Democratic and Republican outlooks on the other.

Related items

  1. A young boy and girl entering the front door of a house, smiling. Their father carries a baby behind them

    The homes that children deserve: Housing policy to support families

    As the government seeks to develop a new child poverty strategy, it will need to grapple with housing – the single largest cost faced by families.
  2. A car park with a series of electric vehicle charging point parking spaces

    Powering up public support for electric vehicles

    Tackling greenhouse gas emissions will only work if public support for action remains strong. That means ensuring tangible improvements in people’s lives and heading off any brewing backlash.

  3. Assessing the economy

    Over the past few days and weeks, there has been lots of rather histrionic commentary about the UK’s economic situation as if the budget has created an economic disaster from which we’ll never recover.