The Capitol invasion, marked by violence, destruction, and death, left a scar on American democracy.
On January 6, 2021, thousands of Donald Trump supporters, refusing to accept Joe Biden’s victory, marched to Congress and attempted to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. This attack, fueled by hatred and unfounded conspiracy theories about electoral fraud, revealed the extent of radicalization among part of the Republican electorate.
With Trump’s recent election, a stark contrast is evident: Democratic voters, even while lamenting Kamala Harris’s defeat, do not resort to vandalism or threaten democratic stability. Unlike Trump supporters, they are not inclined to undermine institutions but rather to reflect on the next steps within the established rules.
The peaceful conduct of Democrats demonstrates their trust in the electoral process and their willingness to reorganize political resistance without endangering respect for the rule of law. This spirit strengthens democracy, countering the dark shadow cast by the Capitol invasion three years ago. Political maturity and a commitment to democratic norms reflect an approach that should be the rule, not the exception.
