Time for US to go beyond false dichotomy of two-party system

Trump’s presidency, though widely criticised, exposed the cracks in the two-party system. While Trump was far from a model of ethical leadership, his first administration implemented policies that challenged the status quo in ways that inadvertently disrupted the bipartisan consensus on endless war. Trump’s most notable achievement in this regard was his administration’s negotiation of the Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states.

While far from a comprehensive solution to Middle Eastern conflicts, these agreements signaled a shift toward dialogue over direct military engagement. Similarly, Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan—though poorly executed—ended America’s longest war and forced a reckoning with the futility of endless military interventions. Domestically, Trump’s stimulus cheques provided immediate relief to millions of Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic, a move that contrasted sharply with the Democrats’ tepid and delayed responses once they came into power during the pandemic.

The American two-party system perpetuates the illusion of choice, masking a unified agenda of militarism, corporate dominance, and incrementalism. Democrats and Republicans may differ in rhetoric, but their actions often serve the same interests. While Democrats cloak their policies in the language of morality and progress, their actions frequently mirror those of Republicans, albeit with better public relations. This illusion is particularly dangerous because it stifles genuine debate and alternative approaches. Voters are often coerced into choosing the “lesser of two evils,” a cycle that prevents meaningful systemic change. Trump’s presidency, for all its flaws, shattered some of these illusions by revealing the bipartisan commitment to preserving the status quo, even as both parties vilified him.

The challenge now is to move beyond the false dichotomy of the two-party system and imagine a new paradigm—one rooted in genuine justice, accountability, and a commitment to peace. This will require breaking free from the narratives spun by both parties and demanding a foreign policy that prioritises human rights over hegemony and a domestic policy that puts people over profits. The recent election already showed some promise, when those opposed to the Democrats’ ongoing incursion in Gaza opted to vote for third party candidates. In this election as well, candidates like Jill Stein, who has run for President in several elections, gained more prominence, and opened up to the American voter the possibility of hoping for more than a lesser evil. With some luck, this trend will continue in successive elections, marking the start of a change in how democracy is viewed the world over.

Ms Gitahi is an international lawyer