Obama's Election and Change: Lessons for the World, Africa and US Foreign Policy

The election of the 44th US president was anunprecedented election. The majority of Americanpeople endorsed Barack Obamäs message of change.Reverend King¿s dream came true as Barack Obama waselected the first Black US president. Billions ofpeople across the word fell into euphoria. Obamäselection gave them some sense of pride and hope whilemixed feelings prevailed in the most conservativecircles. Elections are now regularly held in manycountries, including in Africa. Demands andexpectations of change in domestic, foreign andinternational policies had never been so high inhuman history. This book reflects on the AmericanConstitution and politics. Since Obamäs electiontriggered and is central to this reflection, the bookexamines the different steps of the Americanpresidential election, the conditions foreligibility, the constitutional status, and the termsof office of the US president before highlighting themajor political developments that paved the way forthis historic election. Finally, it draws lessons forthe rest of the world in general and for Africa inparticular as well as for the US foreign policy,which also needs change.