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US midterm elections: why they matter to India
સમાચારમાં કેમ?
435 House seats, one-third of the Senate: the US midterm facts GS2 India-relations answers need
US midterms decide control of Congress, with implications for India.
Why it matters: asked in UPSC 2017
What you need to know
2 મિનિટ
The United States holds its midterm elections on 3 November, midway through a presidential term.
All 435 seats of the House of Representatives and roughly one-third of the Senate are contested.
The result decides whether the President's party controls Congress, which shapes trade, tariff and defence legislation that affects India.
સ્રોત: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
મુખ્ય તથ્યો
Remember these
- US midterm elections are held midway through the four-year presidential term, on 3 November
- All 435 seats of the House of Representatives are contested
- Roughly one-third of the Senate (100 members, six-year staggered terms) is up for election
- The result decides whether the President's party controls Congress
- Congress shapes trade, tariff and defence legislation that affects India
પ્રિલિમ્સ · મેઇન્સ
How the exam will ask it
પ્રિલિમ્સ
- Midterm elections in the US are held two years into a four-year presidential term.
- All members of the House of Representatives face election in every midterm, as House terms are two years.
- Only about one-third of the Senate seats are contested in a midterm, since Senators serve six-year staggered terms.
- Control of Congress can constrain the President's legislative agenda on trade and defence.
મેઇન્સ
GS2 (International Relations): The US midterms decide whether the President's party controls Congress, which legislates on trade, tariffs and defence. For India this affects tariff negotiations, defence cooperation and technology partnerships, so India should engage both parties and the legislature, not only the White House, and diversify its trade and strategic ties.
PYQ connection
A question UPSC has already asked on this
Consider the following statements:
- The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
- Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and by-elections.
- Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognized political parties.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 3 only
જવાબ જુઓ
જવાબ: D
Why this matters: today's issue is directly connected to a concept UPSC has already tested. Read the story with this question in mind.
Practise this PYQ →Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
With reference to the elections to the United States Congress, consider the following statements:
- Midterm elections are held midway through a presidential term.
- All 100 seats of the Senate are contested in every midterm election.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
જવાબ જુઓ
જવાબ: A — Correct: 1 only — Statement 1 is correct, and statement 2 is false because only about one-third of the Senate is up. • 2 only — wrong: Statement 2 is wrong: Senators serve six-year staggered terms, so not all seats are contested. • Both 1 and 2 — wrong: Statement 2 is false, since the Senate renews in thirds, so 'Both' fails. • Neither 1 nor 2 — wrong: Statement 1 is true, as midterms fall two years into a four-year presidential term.
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