After Colorado, the US state of Maine also decided on Friday to ban Donald Trump from running in the primary elections scheduled for 2024. Can other countries simply follow this example? What does this mean for the former president?
In de Verenigde Staten worden voorafgaand aan de presidentsverkiezingen zogeheten voorverkiezingen gehouden. Tijdens die verkiezingen moet duidelijk worden wie de presidentskandidaat van een partij wordt. Trump hoopt op de nominatie van zijn Republikeinse Partij. Dat hij in twee staten nu mogelijk geweerd wordt van deelname aan de voorverkiezingen, maakt die missie lastiger.
De twee staten beroepen zich op een opvallende regel in de Amerikaanse grondwet. Daarin staat dat Amerikanen die betrokken waren bij “een opstand of rebellie” geen politieke baan meer mogen hebben.
De staten voeren aan dat Trump tijdens de bestorming van het Capitool op 6 januari 2021 een rol had bij een opstand tegen de democratie.
Het besluit van Colorado werd genomen door het hoogste hof van die staat. In Maine was het een beslissing van Shenna Bellows, de hoogste minister van de staat.
Trump's campaign team has already announced that it will appeal to the highest US courts. The team called the Colorado court's ruling “flawed” and “undemocratic.” That's why Trump and his team are going to the Supreme Court.
Trump could also appeal Maine's decision, but the case will not immediately go to the Supreme Court. Trump must first go to court in the state itself. His campaign team has already announced that he will do so.
The decision in Maine is therefore seen primarily as a nod to the Supreme Court. Depending on the state, this should really take into account the question of whether Trump can participate in the election.
The main issue here is whether the old article in the US Constitution applies to the (former) president. Is this an issue that should be on the judges' panel at all? Aren't it the voters who should decide that at the ballot box?
If the Supreme Court rules that the Colorado court's decision was correct, other states could follow suit (or not). This could have consequences for the course of the Republican primaries, and thus their outcome.
The Supreme Court will then have to reach a decision quickly, Because Super Tuesday is on the calendar on March 5th. Then there will be primaries in sixteen states. If there is no decision yet, Trump will “usually” be on the ballot in Colorado and Maine.
Trump off the election ballot in Colorado: The consequences of this statement
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