United States of America - October 2023

On 3 October, Kevin McCarthy was voted out as Speaker of the House, at the initiative of far-right members of his own party. McCarthy’s leadership was challenged by eight Republican Party members, who argued he had compromised the party’s values by negotiating with Democrats in votes to avoid a government shutdown and prevent default over the government’s debt. Democrats voted as well to remove McCarthy from the leadership position, leaving the speakership vacant for over three weeks, and freezing work in the House of Representatives.

On 25 October, Mike Johnson was elected Speaker, after several failed bids by fellow Republicans and internal division. Johnson is considered a conservative hard-liner, who notably supported efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Polls show that public confidence in the House has wavered, with a majority of Americans considering that the vacancy in the speakership negatively impacted the government’s functions.

Sources: The New York Times (1), The Washington Post, The New York Times (2), Brookings