The end of Anglo-Americanism: Voters in Australia, Canada reject Trumpism

American President Donald Trump’s first months in the White House have been remarkably disruptive for the global order. Alongside a general abandonment of the United States’ (US’) commitment to multilateralism, much attention has been paid to the stresses that his foreign policy has introduced into the transatlantic alliance with Western Europe — an alliance that has long been the lynchpin of the post-War liberal paradigm. The possible abandonment of Taiwan in the face of aggression from the mainland, as well as increasing pressure on treaty allies of the US in South Korea and Japan, is also noteworthy. Yet it is now becoming clear that some of the greatest stresses are being placed on what have been the US’ closest relationships: With the “Anglosphere”, consisting of the United Kingdom (UK) and the three Dominions of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

 

Over the past few days, Canada and Australia have held national elections. And in both, the centre-left party triumphed over right-wing challengers, whom the electorate identified with Trumpism. In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney, who fought and won the job when Justin Trudeau resigned unexpectedly at the beginning of the year, called a snap election shortly after taking office and then triumphed handily following the shortest legally permissible campaign. This was an extraordinary reversal of fortune. At the end of last year, insurgent conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was ahead in the polls by 25 percentage points. Yet the arrival of Mr Trump in Washington, his imposition of punitive tariffs on Canada alongside jibes about Canada becoming the 51st state of the US made all the difference. Mr Carney’s determination in the face of these challenges turned his party’s fortunes around.

 

A similar fate befell Peter Dutton, the leader of the conservative Australian Liberal Party, who also failed to retain his own seat in that country’s election this weekend. Mr Dutton’s party squandered an early rhetorical advantage over Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Part of that was due to the similarity that some swing voters perceived between Mr Dutton’s style and platform — which leant heavily on Elon Musk-style cuts for the public sector and deportation of undocumented immigrants — and Mr Trump’s chaotic approach to governance in his second term. Meanwhile, in the UK, which enjoys a “special relationship” with the US, Mr Trump’s great admirer Nigel Farage had a far better week — in local elections. But he has worked hard to distance himself from Mr Trump, and their past association will likely work against him in more national contests.

 

The electorate in few countries has as close an insight into American politics as do the English-speaking nations that are still subject to Charles III. Yet, far from leading these countries to greater sympathy with the US’ chosen leader, this closeness has instead led to them drifting away from America in an unprecedented manner, and to their politics being redefined by opposition to Mr Trump. This drift has implications beyond these countries’ shores. As the US’ closest allies, they are members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing network, as well as participants in other groupings like AUKUS. A weakness in this alliance will cause nations such as India to re-examine their participation in similar groupings. A reduced efficiency in intelligence gathering and analysis will also affect India and other nations fighting common battles against terrorism and expansionism.