A more perfect Union: Zu möglichen Demokratiereformen in den Vereinigten Staaten

American democracy is facing a series of grave challenges. The post Trump era begins with a public debate over democracy reforms as possible remedies. What are the prospects for these institutional changes? The reforms discussed here – a new Voting Rights Act and the admission of new states to the Union among other things – face strong Republican resistance. Reforming Senate rules is therefore a key challenge for the Democratic Party in this Congress. It is, however, doubtful whether Democrats have the necessary votes to enact an extensive reform agenda, despite President Biden’s openness for reform. State-level reforms on voting rights, electoral systems, and gerrymandering are considerably more likely.