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What does Europe want from Obama?
21 January 2013
According to one survey, 75% of Europeans would have voted for President
Obama if they could, compared to only 8% who would have chosen the
Republican Mitt Romney. But what does Europe want from Obama's second
term? Our Europe correspondent Christian Fraser has been taking a closer look.
In President Obama's second term there are two longer-term developments that
will affect the relationship with Europe. The first is the US budget deficit, the
second the so called "pivot" - or the rebalancing of focus towards Asia.
America's finances will mean, now even more than in the first term, the US will
be what some have called a "frugal superpower" - leading from behind as
they did in Libya, and as they look to be doing in Mali.
But then that frugal nature is not altogether bad news. The US remains by far
the biggest customer for European exporters.
Generally the Europeans are content with the status quo. The last thing they
need at a time when Europe is so embroiled in its own internal debates, is the
external distraction of a change in guard across the pond.
Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2013
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Vocabulary and definitions
budget deficit the amount of money a government needs to clear
its debt
frugal careful with spending
leading from behind playing an important part without being seen to be
making all the decisions
look to be seem to be
altogether completely
by far by a great amount
status quo the current situation
embroiled in involved with something difficult or complicated
change in guard change in leadership
across the pond on the other side of the Atlantic (used by the UK and
US to refer to each other)
Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/130121_witn_what_does_europe_want_from_obama.shtml
Related News story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21115349
Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2013
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