When Barack Obama addressed 200,000 cheering spectators inBerlin four years ago, his vow to “remake the world once again” marked aturning point in European attitudes toward the United States. European alliesuneasy about George W. Bush’s “war on terror” welcomed the Democraticpresidential candidate as the herald of a new chapter in which American valueswould fall closer into step with the old continent’s liberal mores.
Since then, however, the twin upheavals of the Arab Springand global financial crisis have placed fresh strains on trans-Atlanticrelations and raised serious questions about the relevance of US policies andpower to Europe. As Obama prepares to make up for his recent debate flopagainst Republican opponent Mitt Romney, he’s no doubt hoping the switch toforeign policy topics will put him on firmer ground.
But does his country still generate the European favor heseemed to rekindle in 2008? Or is America increasingly viewed as a countrythat, as Obama described it in Berlin, “has not perfected itself?” Much of thetransformation of the last four years has taken place inside Europe. The eurozone debt crisis has threatened to tear apart the continent’s powerful economicunion and ushered in a new period of austerity and introspection that hasovershadowed interest in affairs beyond its borders.
The crisis has swept away many of the political leaders whoonce jostled to shake Obama’s hand and bask in his reflected glory ” among themFrance’s Nicolas Sarkozy, Britain’s Gordon Brown and Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi.While Obama’s popularity at home heavily depends on economic performance, hisinternational reputation is inextricably linked to the fates of the militaryinterventions he’s sustained, and especially the consequences of the US use ofdrones.
Britain’s Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron has generatedpolitical capital from strengthening the so-called special relationship betweenLondon and Washington while also benefitting from a backlash against Labourparty rivals who closely allied themselves with Bush. But as Cameron’spopularity dwindles thanks to harsh austerity measures, so too will support forUS policies seen as linked to his fortunes. American military missteps inAfghanistan also risk further undermining positive feeling for the UnitedStates as long as British troops are fighting in the conflict.
Former President Jacques Chirac emerged as a vehementopponent to the invasion of Iraq at the height of Bush’s popularity. By 2008,favorable views about the United States were languishing at 42 percent. Opinionchanged under Sarkozy, who succeeded Chirac in 2007. He made France a full NATOmember after relations with the alliance had eroded during the Iraq conflict.By the time France helped lead NATO’s enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libyain 2011, US favorability had surged to 75 percent.
Some called Sarkozy “Le Americain” for his trans-Atlanticfervor. But he was voted out last spring in favor of Francois Hollande, asocialist whose victory was largely credited to his efforts to distance himselffrom his predecessor.
Despite the latest trend, however, it’s clear few Europeanswant Obama to lose the election next month, especially after a gaffe-strewnEuropean tour Romney made in July. He caused outrage in Britain by questioningthe country’s preparedness for the London Olympics. In Poland, he causedembarrassment by accepting the support of trade union hero Lech Walesa despitehis opposition to union activity at home.
