Internationale Politikanalyse International Policy Analysis International Policy Analysis Michael Werz Country Analysis USA: The End of the American Century? The presidential elections reflect changes whose political consequen­ces still cannot be foreseen. On November 4th it was not just two can­didates standing for election; the American dilemma of racial discrimina­tion was also at issue. In the 1990s the Democrats went through a process of consolidation, brought to an end by the traditional party in-fighting, and the Party committed itself to the social liberalism of the Clinton era. This made it possible for Barack Obama to link his progressive demand for»change« to aspects of value conservatism. The Republicans risk becoming the party of old America; ageing, white, rural and lacking leading personalities who could reunite the disparate party base. As far as the political participation of the rapidly growing minorities is concerned the Republicans are back where they were in 1964. The as yet incalculable extent of the economic and financial crisis threatens to crowd out three crucial domestic policy issues on which the new administration must make good: health care, energy policy and immigration reform. The new administration will provide continuity in foreign policy. Obama will try to persuade the European allies to take on greater geo­political responsibility. FEBRUARY 2009