The United States six months away from crucial mid-term elections for Trump

The United States finds itself on Sunday six months away from decisive legislative elections, during which the Americans will decide what follow-up to be given to Donald Trump's second term, after two years which have already profoundly changed the country.

“The stakes are very high,” said Mindy Romero, director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California. These mid-term elections are a “pivotal moment” for both parties, she adds.

For the Democrats, the question is not only about regaining control of Congress: they insist that "Donald Trump and Republican officials represent an existential threat to America", explains the political scientist to AFP.

On the Republican side, the 79-year-old president intends to retain his parliamentary majority to have the rest of his legislative program adopted.

Otherwise, he repeats over and over again, the Democrats would launch impeachment proceedings against him almost immediately. A Democratic Congress could also block its appointments, launch investigations and seriously hinder the implementation of its policies.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be up for grabs in November, while 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate will be up for renewal.

The Republicans currently only have a small majority in the two assemblies, and the Democrats hope to regain control of the House, or even the Senate.

- Unpopular president -

Because in the United States, midterm elections are traditionally unfavorable to the party which won the White House two years previously.

And six months before the election, the outlook is darkening for the Republicans, with the accumulation of opinion surveys showing record levels of dissatisfaction with Donald Trump.

"The president is quite unpopular, and that's usually a pretty strong indicator of how the presidential party will fare in the midterm elections," notes Julia Azari, professor of political science at Marquette University.

Many Americans believe that the Republican billionaire has failed to improve their economic situation, even though he was elected in part on this promise.

The war launched against Iran also proved largely unpopular, as did the rise in gasoline prices that it led to.

Accused by the Democrats of authoritarianism since his return to the White House, Donald Trump also sees his very repressive policy towards migrants decried by part of the general public, underlines Julia Azari.

In the other camp, the polls do not show overwhelming enthusiasm towards the opposition.

“The Americans are unhappy with the general turn of events and with the two parties,” says Julia Azari.

“Still, someone has to win” in November, and the “o