KT edit: The real work begins now

Considering the challenges that lie ahead on the domestic and international fronts, surely this victory is just a beginning

US President-elect Joe Biden and team have their greatest tests ahead of them as the Trump administration leaves behind the country in a beleaguered state. Perhaps the most important task would be to heal the nation, as Biden rightly mentioned in his victory speech in Delaware. Living in a polarised environment, deep divisions have made Americans mistrustful of one another. Wide-spread racism has spread the message that while the country’s constitution sees everyone as the same, there are some that are first among the equals.

And then there is the Covid-19 pandemic that continues to kill Americans. Texas has reported more than one million Covid cases, which places it among the worst affected by the viral disease. The president-elect has put a plan of action in place that will be built on a bedrock of science. It is a comforting message and could help spread the right information among people, who have been misled so far. On the global platform, the US would probably rejoin several global alliances, including the World Health Organisation and the Paris climate agreement. But it is the resetting of America’s relations with Europe, and finding ways to avoid a second cold war with China that could be a long-drawn process. Considering the challenges that lie ahead on the domestic and international fronts, surely this victory is just a beginning. The real hard work lies ahead.