Trump, Biden and hatred: how US polarisation affects Americans in Switzerland

Two parties and two presidential candidates – both of whom are unpopular with many voters. Few societies are as polarised as the United States. We gathered impressions from a Democrat, a Republican and an independent, all living in Switzerland, the land of compromise. “Someone recently wrote on Facebook that Joe Biden is like Hitler,” says Sue Rickenbacher, an American. The two main candidates for the presidency – the current president, Joe Biden, and the former president, Donald Trump – are unpopular with large sections of the US population. Rickenbacher is no Biden fan, but how can she respond to this kind of comparison? “When someone writes something like that, it’s difficult to stand in the middle,” she says. After the assassination attempt on Trump on July 13, Rickenbacher believes the election campaign has been decided. “One person was killed. Trump is now a victim and seems stronger at the same time. Biden will have even more problems getting his message across.” The attack ...