The US Senate Democrats, led by their protectionist wing, inflicted a blow Tuesday to Barack Obama by obstructing a law demanded by the president to more easily negotiate free trade agreements.
The senators rejected by 52 votes against 45 the opening of the debate on a so-called bill of accelerated procedure to prevent the Congress to amend the text of any future free trade agreement negotiated by the Democratic president. It would have taken 60 votes during the voting procedure, to prevent obstruction.
All but one Democrat voted against, while the Republican party and the White House supported the text, exceptional reversal of political alliances.
The vote Tuesday does not permanently kill the measure, which can be recalled to the agenda later by the Republicans, but probably not until June.
But it reveals the extent of the hostility in the ranks of the president’s own party, against trade liberalization that Obama intends to sign by the end of his mandate with 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
“ What we have seen is quite shocking” , reacted leader of the Republican majority in the Senate, Mitch McConnell.
(With AFP)
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