Mark Carney: Democracy’s Untrump

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“I want to thank Donald Trump without who this would not have been possible.” Mark Carney, the 24th Prime Minister of Canada, was too tactile on Monday to give the United States President a credit for his party’s return to office. But it is the truth of the Lord. When collecting Canada’s sovereignty, Trump turned the semi-trump conservative party projected into the defeat in the space of the weeks. Not bad for the first 100 days of the President of the United States. It could do a similar favor to Australia’s work party this weekend without even threatening -annexing the country.

But Carney deserves a credit to nail his opponent Pierre Poilievre to Trump’s post. Instead of Poilievre, “Canada first”, Carney proclaimed “Canada Fort”. He did so while also distanced himself from Justin Trudeau, his deeply unpopular predecessor as his liberal prime minister. There are lessons here for Democrats. If Kamala Harris threw Joe Biden under the bus with the same shipment that Carney made to Trudeau, maybe Trump has defeated last November. Above all, Carney showed that non -populist can win in the right conditions, in this case as a role for the world’s main populist.

Complete dissemination: I have known CARNEY since the early 1990’s. Although his skills as a central economist and banker were clear, Monday was the first time he had raised in the election. She turned 60 last month, two days after replacing Trudeau. It is difficult to overcome the unlikely that it seemed like a few months ago. Carney worked at Goldman Sachs in London and New York. Then he directed the Bank of Canada. He then became governor of the Bank of England. Then he joined a world investment company. He promoted the United Nations: Two acronyms that would normally take it from the impolite company. If globalism had a name and a face, it would be a carney.

Only Trump could have turned these stones into wings. In this sense, the 47th President of the United States plays an ally who does not want democracy everywhere, except at home. He gave the Median of Canada a fall in the merit of rule -based internationalism. As the only person who has directed two Central Banks of the G7, CARNEY can claim to know how the global economy works. Canada, such as the EU, Mexico and most other countries, has suddenly woke up in the dangers of a renegade America. If the President of the United States can threaten the sovereignty of his neighbor and ally loyal, which country is sure?

There are two wider routes that handle Trump. The first is that obeying costs more. Not only Trump does not respect the sycopants, but he comes from his way to humiliate them. This also applies to foreign leaders. Trudeau was put on a plane in Palm Beach in November, when Trump first threatened the rates to US neighbors. Mexico leader Claudia Sheinbaum did not take the hike. Trump talks about her with respect; He kept Trudeau as “51st state governor”. Leaders tempted to cut the lateral problems with Trump should be careful. Your signature is not binding. Nor will the voters reward them for welcoming them. Canada comonensical famous reminds us that some things (patriotism, dignity) can be evaluated more than short -term growth.

The second is that Trump is bad for the Trumpians. Poilievre was sold as the softer version of Trump. Peter Dutton, leader of the Liberal Party (conservative) of Australia, has made it more shameless. Both locked themselves in a cage of another person. When Trump took steps to harm the economies of his nations, they could not easily repudiate it. Even low information voters know a flip-flopper when they see one.

Other leaders on the right, especially Giorgia Meloni, from Italy, are resisting a complete hug of Trump. Sir Keir Starmer British should also pay attention. The more represent the populist reform of the Nigel Farage of the United Kingdom as Trump’s Stooge, the tougher its implicit criticism in Trump. Alternatively, Starmer could reach a tariff agreement that flattered Trump, but could alienate friends and members of Britain. Trips would be needed, but not a unrealistic level of skill, for Starmer to paint both parts of the Brexit, including the conservatives of the opposition, as Stooges of a strong foreign man.

There is the Trumpism Self -Determined Core. Just as Trump is ruled out of the Allies, he has no loyalty to friends. A large part of Congress Republicans retired for fear, not devotion. Once again, Trump provides the world a fall course. The best way to redeem the vote of “America (or Canada, Brazil, Britain, Italy, Mexico, etc.) is to play very well with others. Power and prosperity are multiplied by friends.

edward.luce@ft.com