Mediaboss Marketing

With an unpopular president and Republicans gaining momentum in the run-up to the US congressional elections, a conservative takeover of the Senate appears entirely possible. Analysts are divided over what a Republican victory would mean for President Barack Obama's ability to govern.

While some argue that Republicans - given their newly gained power - will be forced to finally cooperate with Obama, others think the party's conservative base will prevent that, especially in light of the 2016 presidential elections.

Republican control of Congress could have implications for domestic policy, such as trying to roll back Obama's health-care reform. But it could also make it much harder for Obama in the foreign policy arena as Congress has the so-called power of the purse and the Senate has to ratify international treaties.

DW asked two scholars to weigh in on how a Republican victory could affect five key international issues.

Fight against IS

"There will be a tougher line," said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. Republican rhetoric would become harsher and criticism of the Obama administration's handling of the fight against "Islamic State" militants would increase - especially if things get worse in Syria and Iraq.

Both Bob Barker, the incoming chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee should the Republicans gain the majority and John McCain, the key figure on the Armed Services Committee in the Senate, have long supported sending more sophisticated weapons to the Free Syrian Army and to the moderate Syrians, said Norman Ornstein, residential scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

"But that does not mean that you are going to see a significant drumbeat from Republicans in Congress for troops in the region as they say in the clichd boots on the ground," noted Ornstein. "That would be extraordinarily unpopular with Americans."

A Republican Congress could make a deal with Iran more tricky

Nuclear deal with Iran

Read this article:
Republican win would worsen Obama's foreign policy pains