What the Kevin McCarthy saga means for America’s Congress
Power struggles, public humiliation and a government shutdown may follow
Editor’s note: On January 7th, after four days of voting and 15 ballots, Mr McCarthy finally clinched the speakership. He did so only after making significant concessions to right-wing hardliners—including the ability for a single lawmaker to force a vote to remove him at any time. It was the longest election since 1859.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Unspeakable”
Leaders January 7th 2023
- A realistic path to a better relationship between Britain and the EU
- How China’s reopening will disrupt the world economy
- Why the gusty North Sea could give Europe an industrial edge
- Starlink’s performance in Ukraine has ignited a new space race
- What the Kevin McCarthy saga means for America’s Congress
More from Leaders
Health warnings about alcohol give only half the story
Enjoyment matters as well as risk
Pete Hegseth’s culture war will weaken America’s armed forces
Donald Trump’s nominee for defence risks driving away talent
The capitalist revolution Africa needs
The world’s poorest continent should embrace its least fashionable idea
Just because Indonesia has nickel, doesn’t mean it should make EVs
Economic nationalists are making a reckless bet
Donald the Deporter
Could a man who makes ugly promises of mass expulsion actually fix America’s immigration system?
Mark Zuckerberg’s U-turn on fact-checking is craven—but correct
Social-media platforms should not be in the business of defining truth