By Necva Tastan Sevinc
ISTANBUL (AA) - With the US presidential race in its final stretch, European Greens on Friday issued a public appeal to the US Green Party candidate, urging her to withdraw from the race in favor of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
"Ahead of these pivotal elections, European Greens have called upon US Green Party candidate Jill Stein to withdraw her Presidential candidacy, and endorse Kamala Harris," the European Green leaders said in a statement issued just days before next Tuesday’s election.
Saying that the stakes could not be higher, they argue that only Vice President Harris can prevent what they describe as a return to “anti-democratic, authoritarian policies” seen under Republican candidate Donald Trump, who was president from 2017 to 2021.
Cautioning that Trump’s proposed policies could threaten democratic institutions and accelerate this climate crisis worldwide, the statement stressed the urgency of electing a leader committed to progressive climate action.
Trump has promised that if elected, he will end policies designed to fight the climate crisis, which he has called a “Chinese hoax.” Scientists warn any delay or reversal of climate-friendly policies could push the earth’s ecosystem past the point of no return.
“This election takes place at a watershed moment in the history of our planet," said the Greens leaders.
“Like other ultra-conservative politicians across the globe with whom he has close relationships,” they said, “Trump would undermine democracy.”
They warned that Trump returning to the White House could bring the US into alignment with authoritarian figures such as Russian President “Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, and Jair Bolsonaro,” the Hungarian premier and Brazil’s former president, respectively.
“Europe needs Kamala Harris as President of the United States, to be a reliable partner and to take the urgent, decisive action needed on the climate crisis, and to bring about a just and sustainable peace in the Middle East," they added.
In US presidential elections, where candidates win on a state-by-state basis rather than a nationwide popular vote, small third party candidates like Stein can swing the race in key states and thus decide the entire election.
US Democrats still remember bitterly the 2000 presidential race, in which a small but significant number of votes going to Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate, tipped the race to Republican George W. Bush, helping him to win.
Democrat Al Gore won the popular vote, but lost the race, due to the US’ state-by-state system. Democrats saw Bush’s presidency as disastrous, especially as it led to the Iraq war, a conflict declared on false premises.
Democrats largely see this year’s Green nominee Stein as a dangerous spoiler, a puppet candidate supported by Russia and Trump’s Republican Party solely in order to beat Harris.