On November 8th, the so-called “Midterms” will take place in the USA. During his first campaign appearance, ex-President Obama called for responsibility: “Get up off the couch and go vote,” he shouted. After all, democracy is at stake.

Before the hard-fought midterm congressional elections in the US, ex-President Barack Obama vehemently called for voting. “Get off the couch and go vote,” he shouted at a campaign rally in the state of Georgia. “Put your phone away, leave Tiktok alone – go vote.” It was the ex-president’s first campaign appearance for his Democratic Party ahead of the November 8 midterm elections.

Democracy is at stake in the elections, Obama warned in a suburb of Atlanta. Conspiracy theorists who do not recognize the election victory of current President Joe Biden could gain power from the elections. “Across the country people are running who have tried to undermine our democracy,” Obama said. It must be prevented that they gain even more influence.

Obama also addressed abortion rights, which have been under threat in the US since the Supreme Court reversed the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling on June 24. “Women everywhere should be able to control what happens to their bodies,” Obama said. The “most personal decisions” should be “made by a woman and her doctor – not by a bunch of mostly male politicians.”

Obama was the guest of honor at the campaign event in Georgia. In the state, Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, who is hoping for re-election, and the Republican candidate – former American football star Herschel Walker, who was supported by ex-US President Donald Trump – are fighting a bitter campaign.

The midterm elections take place between two presidential elections. The US Congress, consisting of the House of Representatives and the US Senate, will be re-elected, as will the composition of the parliaments and some of the governors of the states.