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Is America’s democracy under threat?

President Trump’s hospitalisation for Covid-19 prompted many Americans to also worry about the health of the election process, and democracy itself.

President Trump’s hospitalisation for Covid-19 prompted many Americans to also worry about the health of the election process, and democracy itself. Katty Kay and Carlos Watson discuss whether American democracy is in crisis, and what its future may hold. They are joined by Julius Krein, of the journal American Affairs, and award-winning Venezuelan-American journalist Mariana Atencio. Mariana argues that America risks descending into a crisis similar to that of her native Venezuela if its democracy is not shored up and valued by its citizens. Julius outlines how the nation’s widening polarisation is damaging for its democracy.

Editor: Penny Murphy
Produced by Sandra Kanthal, Viv Jones, Iyore Odighizuwa and Maeve McGoran, with reporting from Suzanne Kianpour
Mixed by Nigel Appleton

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Mon 12 Oct 202019:06GMT
BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

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Talking about race

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America’s economic divide

See all episodes from When Katty Met Carlos

Broadcasts

  • Mon 12 Oct 202001:32GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Mon 12 Oct 202008:06GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Mon 12 Oct 202014:06GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Mon 12 Oct 202015:32GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Mon 12 Oct 202019:06GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

Podcast

  • When Katty Met Carlos

    From the BBC and Ozy, Katty Kay and Carlos Watson share fresh perspectives on America