Michael Ignatieff: Democracy faces into a make-or-break year

'No US presidential election in living memory has felt so consequential, and none has offered such uninspiring choices'

Joe Biden, 81, has restored dignity to US politics, but the generation of him and 77-year-old Donald Trump, his rival in the US presidential election, should have passed on the political baton by now. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

As we try to figure out what the next year holds in store for the world, one milestone looms menacingly on the horizon for 2024: The US presidential election on November 5.

The US president, Joe Biden, having restored respect for professional politicians through his experience and acumen, will seek a mandate to govern into his mid-80s. Some, even members of his own generation, wonder whether this is wise.