Barack Obama won the 2012 election, becoming the last Democrat president to serve two consecutive terms. However, his second term was marked by the rise of Donald Trump, who went on to become the Republican president, ousting the Democrats from power after eight years of Obama.

Many Americans loved the first African American president, with some even urging him to run again for a third term in 2016. But US presidents cannot have more than two terms, and Obama went on to campaign for the subsequent Democratic candidates, including Joe Biden, who was his vice president.

Watch: US Presidential Elections: Harris Rallies With Obama, Celebrities In Georgia

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In 2012, Obama was seeking a second term in the wake of the global financial crisis that started in late 2007 with the collapse of some major American banks, insurance firms and other financial institutions.

As the Great Reccession continued for the common people, the rich continued to become richer, which led to the Occupy Wall Street movement just a few months before the election.

Obama's Republcan rival was Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor.

The key issues in the 2012 election cycle&nbsp;were the recovery of the American economy, the landmark yet contentious healthcare reforms of Obama, and his foreign policy.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-president-barack-obama-and-singer-bruce-springsteen-pitch-for-kamala-harris-771734">Also read: Former president Barack Obama and singer Bruce Springsteen pitch for Kamala Harris</a> 
 
Obama had passed the massive medical care reform called the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare. He also spent much of his first term stabilising the economy after the financial crisis of 2007-08 left behind by his Republican predecessor George W Bush.

Unemployment, which was above 8 per cent as of 2012 remained a key issue during the 2012 election, as the working class was still feeling the pinch from the financial crisis.

This made many question the economic policies of Obama in his first term.

Romney seized on this opportunity to attack Obama.

Hightlighting his private sector experience - he was the co-founder of investment firm Bain Capital - Ronmey argued that he can fix the economy.

With the campaign slogan 'Believe in America,'&nbsp;Romney focused on claiming that debt increased and job growth was slow during Obama's first term.

Obama's campaign, with the slogan 'Forward', mobilised supporters on the progress made during his presidency on women's rights, immigration reform and healthcare. He even took a pro-LGBTQ stance closer to election date.&nbsp;

But on the healthcare front, Obama was often cornered by Romney, who advocated repeal of the Affordable Care Act.&nbsp;

They sparred on these issues at debates, with Obama appearing to be on the backfoot in the first one. But he recovered and improved his performance in later debates.

Well into the last days of campaign, Obama appeared to be on a weak position but his emotional and rousing speeches and Demcratic party's massive ground-level surge campaign managed to convince most voters to give him four more years.&nbsp;

The 2012 election also cemented the role of technology, which was already used in the previous one. Data analytics was used as effectively by Obama campaign as grassroot voter mobilisation.

Romeny somehow did not have the same arsenal when it came to using technology, particularly social media outreach to young voters.

There was also an increase in early voting, which is believed to have helped Obama.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/and-hes-talking-about-illegals-biden-slams-musk-over-illegal-worker-claims-tesla-ceo-hits-back-771298">Also read: 'And he's talking about illegals': Biden slams Musk over 'illegal worker' claims; Tesla CEO hits back</a>

The election, held on 6 November 2012, saw better participation from minorities and youngsters, which also was to Obama's advantage.

Eventually, Obama won re-election by getting 332 electoral college votes as against 206 for Romney, and 51 per cent of the popular vote as against 47 per cent for the Republican.

But the election was, in many ways, a predictor of the fact that American electorate was getting slowly divided. If you look at the results map in this story, it is clear that red states and blue states were practically split through the middle of the nation. Obama won the more populous and coastal states where miniorities and immigrants live in large numbers. Romney won much of the north, middle America and conservative south, often described as the Bible Belt.

Obama did extremly well with youth, Latinos and Blacks, whereas white voters appear to have preferred Romney. In the second term of Obama, that division only worsened, including protests after police killings of Black people.

The emergence of migrant communities as voting blocs became an issue for many in the white majority, who gravitated towards a more rightwing approach opposing immigration, a sentiment captured and amplified by Donald Trump.

(With inputs from agencies)

Barack Obama won the 2012 election, becoming the last Democrat president to serve two consecutive terms. However, his second term was marked by the rise of Donald Trump, who went on to become the Republican president, ousting the Democrats from power after eight years of Obama.

Barack Obama won the 2012 election, becoming the last Democrat president to serve two consecutive terms. However, his second term was marked by the rise of Donald Trump, who went on to become the Republican president, ousting the Democrats from power after eight years of Obama. Many Americans loved the first African American president, with some even urging him to run again for a third term in 2016. But US presidents cannot have more than two terms, and Obama went on to campaign for the subsequent Democratic candidates, including Joe Biden, who was his vice president. Watch: US Presidential Elections: Harris Rallies With Obama, Celebrities In Georgia × In 2012, Obama was seeking a second term in the wake of the global financial crisis that started in late 2007 with the collapse of some major American banks, insurance firms and other financial institutions. As the Great Reccession continued for the common people, the rich continued to become richer, which led to the Occupy Wall Street movement just a few months before the election. Obama's Republcan rival was Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. The key issues in the 2012 election cycle were the recovery of the American economy, the landmark yet contentious healthcare reforms of Obama, and his foreign policy. Also read: Former president Barack Obama and singer Bruce Springsteen pitch for Kamala Harris Obama had passed the massive medical care reform called the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare. He also spent much of his first term stabilising the economy after the financial crisis of 2007-08 left behind by his Republican predecessor George W Bush. Unemployment, which was above 8 per cent as of 2012 remained a key issue during the 2012 election, as the working class was still feeling the pinch from the financial crisis. This made many question the economic policies of Obama in his first term. Romney seized on this opportunity to attack Obama. Hightlighting his private sector experience - he was the co-founder of investment firm Bain Capital - Ronmey argued that he can fix the economy. With the campaign slogan 'Believe in America,' Romney focused on claiming that debt increased and job growth was slow during Obama's first term. Obama's campaign, with the slogan 'Forward', mobilised supporters on the progress made during his presidency on women's rights, immigration reform and healthcare. He even took a pro-LGBTQ stance closer to election date. But on the healthcare front, Obama was often cornered by Romney, who advocated repeal of the Affordable Care Act. They sparred on these issues at debates, with Obama appearing to be on the backfoot in the first one. But he recovered and improved his performance in later debates. Well into the last days of campaign, Obama appeared to be on a weak position but his emotional and rousing speeches and Demcratic party's massive ground-level surge campaign managed to convince most voters to give him four more years. The 2012 election also cemented the role of technology, which was already used in the previous one. Data analytics was used as effectively by Obama campaign as grassroot voter mobilisation. Romeny somehow did not have the same arsenal when it came to using technology, particularly social media outreach to young voters. There was also an increase in early voting, which is believed to have helped Obama. Also read: 'And he's talking about illegals': Biden slams Musk over 'illegal worker' claims; Tesla CEO hits back The election, held on 6 November 2012, saw better participation from minorities and youngsters, which also was to Obama's advantage. Eventually, Obama won re-election by getting 332 electoral college votes as against 206 for Romney, and 51 per cent of the popular vote as against 47 per cent for the Republican. But the election was, in many ways, a predictor of the fact that American electorate was getting slowly divided. If you look at the results map in this story, it is clear that red states and blue states were practically split through the middle of the nation. Obama won the more populous and coastal states where miniorities and immigrants live in large numbers. Romney won much of the north, middle America and conservative south, often described as the Bible Belt. Obama did extremly well with youth, Latinos and Blacks, whereas white voters appear to have preferred Romney. In the second term of Obama, that division only worsened, including protests after police killings of Black people. The emergence of migrant communities as voting blocs became an issue for many in the white majority, who gravitated towards a more rightwing approach opposing immigration, a sentiment captured and amplified by Donald Trump. (With inputs from agencies)

US elections: Did Obama re-election lead to rise of Trump? Remembering Obama vs Romney in 2012

Union Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/rajnath-singh-arrives-in-moscow-for-three-day-visit-to-boost-defence-ties-with-russia-260035">Rajnath Singh</a> on Monday said that the National Democratic Alliance (<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-nda-to-defence-chiefs-common-connection-between-all-three-heads-of-indian-armed-forces-271742">NDA</a>) government is committed to protect the interests of traders and to promote ease of doing business.

Addressing the traders community at the National Traders Convention here, Singh said: "There are many forces in the country who are trying to defame the NDA government on the economic issues but the government is not only aware of the issues facing the traders but also actively working towards its resolution."

"The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chandrababu-naidu-accuses-nda-government-of-using-cbi-it-to-harass-rivals-create-fear-180765">NDA government</a> is committed to protect the interests of the traders and to promote ease of doing business," he said.

He asserted that India has done a remarkable job by improving the ease of doing business ranking

Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is committed to protect the interests of traders and to promote ease of doing business.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is committed to protect the interests of traders and to promote ease of doing business. Addressing the traders community at the National Traders Convention here, Singh said: "There are many forces in the country who are trying to defame the NDA government on the economic issues but the government is not only aware of the issues facing the traders but also actively working towards its resolution." "The NDA government is committed to protect the interests of the traders and to promote ease of doing business," he said. He asserted that India has done a remarkable job by improving the ease of doing business ranking

NDA committed to protect traders' interest, promote ease of doing business: Rajnath Singh

Indonesians voted on Wednesday to pick a new president and parliament after a six-month campaign in the sprawling equatorial archipelago dominated by economic issues but also marked by the growing influence of conservative Islam.

The eight-hour vote across a country that stretches more than 5,000 km (3,000 miles) from its western to eastern tips is both a Herculean logistical feat and testimony to the resilience of democracy two decades after authoritarianism was defeated.

President Joko Widodo, a furniture businessman who entered politics 14 years ago as a small-city mayor, is seeking re-election against former general Prabowo Subianto, whom he narrowly defeated in the last election, in 2014.

Most opinion polls give Widodo a double-digit lead, but the opposition says the race is much closer and Prabowo, dressed in a white shirt and a traditional Indonesian peci cap, said before voting in Bogor he was optimistic about winning with a big margin.

President Widodo, dressed in a white shirt and accompanied by First Lady Iriana Widodo, voted in the capital.

"I feel relieved," said Widodo, after casting his ballot and displaying a finger dipped in indelible ink, part of the process of avoiding fraudulent voting.

More than 10,000 people have volunteered to crowd-source election results posted at polling stations in a real-time bid to thwart attempts at fraud.

However, the opposition has already alleged voter list irregularities that could affect millions and has vowed legal or "people power" action if its concerns are ignored.

Widodo’s running mate, Muslim cleric Ma'ruf Amin, called a for a peaceful vote "because the presidential election is not a war, but a search for the best leader", according to Kompas TV.

There was not much obvious security at polling stations in Jakarta, with volunteers helping direct people to voting booths.

The election is being billed as the world's biggest single-day vote and is certainly one of the most complicated, with voters contending with five paper ballots for president, vice president, and national and regional legislative candidates.

Some voters clearly struggled with the process.

"The ballots with the photos on it were actually confusing. And the other one had a lot of names I didn’t recognise," said Orlando Yudistira, 19, a first-time voter in Jakarta.

Another voter, Siti Suprapti, 85, said she had needed help to open the ballot "but I chose the candidates myself".

Widodo win priced&nbsp;in&nbsp;

Dozens of volunteers and witnesses from political parties were present at polling stations to ensure transparency.

Several videos appeared online last week apparently showing thousands of voting papers stuffed in bags at a warehouse in neighbouring Malaysia, with many apparently already marked.

The country's election supervisory board has recommended a re-vote for Indonesians in Malaysia and in Australia, where several hundred registered voters were still standing in line after the polls closed there on Saturday. A decision will be taken by the elections commission.

An unexpected win for the challenger could trigger a brief sell-off in financial markets that have priced in a Widodo victory, analysts say.

"Should Prabowo win, this would literally be the end of opinion polling in Indonesia ... and a major, major upset," said Marcus Mietzner, associate professor at Australian National University. "The question is what the margin of victory will be," he said, predicting Widodo's re-election.

A win for Widodo with 52-55 per cent of the vote would be the "sweet spot" said a senior government official close to the president, adding that this would spur him to continue and even accelerate economic reforms.

'Game of Thrones'

Social media users compared the presidential race to the HBO series "Game of Thrones" - with one online meme showing Widodo sitting on its coveted Iron Throne.

Widodo touted his record on deregulation and improving infrastructure, calling it a first step to tackling inequality and poverty in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

A moderate Muslim from central Java, Widodo had to burnish his Islamic credentials after smear campaigns and hoax stories accused him of being anti-Islam, a communist or too close to China, all politically damaging in Indonesia. He picked Islamic cleric Amin, 76, as his running mate.

Prabowo, a former special forces commander who has links to some hardline Islamist groups, and his running mate, business entrepreneur Sandiaga Uno, say they will boost the economy by slashing taxes and cut food prices.

Political analyst Dewi Fortuna Anwar said the "instrumentalisation" of religion had become much more visible in Indonesian politics in recent years with both candidates trying to appeal to conservative Islamic groups.

Quick counts&nbsp;

More than 192 million people are eligible to cast ballots in national and regional legislative elections being contested by more than 245,000 candidates.

"Moving from authoritarianism to democracy is a very difficult process but Indonesia has developed a good track record for holding free, fair and peaceful elections," said Ben Bland, an analyst at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (2200 GMT on Tuesday) in the east and will close at 1 p.m. (0600 GMT) in the west.

Unofficial "quick counts", based on samples from polling stations, will be released hours after voting ends. The winning presidential candidate could be known by late on Wednesday.

Official results will be announced in May. Any disputes can be taken to the Constitutional Court where a nine-judge panel will have 14 days to rule on them.

Indonesians voted on Wednesday to pick a new president and parliament after a six-month campaign in the sprawling equatorial archipelago dominated by economic issues but also marked by the growing influence of conservative Islam.

Indonesians voted on Wednesday to pick a new president and parliament after a six-month campaign in the sprawling equatorial archipelago dominated by economic issues but also marked by the growing influence of conservative Islam. The eight-hour vote across a country that stretches more than 5,000 km (3,000 miles) from its western to eastern tips is both a Herculean logistical feat and testimony to the resilience of democracy two decades after authoritarianism was defeated. President Joko Widodo, a furniture businessman who entered politics 14 years ago as a small-city mayor, is seeking re-election against former general Prabowo Subianto, whom he narrowly defeated in the last election, in 2014. Most opinion polls give Widodo a double-digit lead, but the opposition says the race is much closer and Prabowo, dressed in a white shirt and a traditional Indonesian peci cap, said before voting in Bogor he was optimistic about winning with a big margin. President Widodo, dressed in a white shirt and accompanied by First Lady Iriana Widodo, voted in the capital. "I feel relieved," said Widodo, after casting his ballot and displaying a finger dipped in indelible ink, part of the process of avoiding fraudulent voting. More than 10,000 people have volunteered to crowd-source election results posted at polling stations in a real-time bid to thwart attempts at fraud. However, the opposition has already alleged voter list irregularities that could affect millions and has vowed legal or "people power" action if its concerns are ignored. Widodo’s running mate, Muslim cleric Ma'ruf Amin, called a for a peaceful vote "because the presidential election is not a war, but a search for the best leader", according to Kompas TV. There was not much obvious security at polling stations in Jakarta, with volunteers helping direct people to voting booths. The election is being billed as the world's biggest single-day vote and is certainly one of the most complicated, with voters contending with five paper ballots for president, vice president, and national and regional legislative candidates. Some voters clearly struggled with the process. "The ballots with the photos on it were actually confusing. And the other one had a lot of names I didn’t recognise," said Orlando Yudistira, 19, a first-time voter in Jakarta. Another voter, Siti Suprapti, 85, said she had needed help to open the ballot "but I chose the candidates myself". Widodo win priced in Dozens of volunteers and witnesses from political parties were present at polling stations to ensure transparency. Several videos appeared online last week apparently showing thousands of voting papers stuffed in bags at a warehouse in neighbouring Malaysia, with many apparently already marked. The country's election supervisory board has recommended a re-vote for Indonesians in Malaysia and in Australia, where several hundred registered voters were still standing in line after the polls closed there on Saturday. A decision will be taken by the elections commission. An unexpected win for the challenger could trigger a brief sell-off in financial markets that have priced in a Widodo victory, analysts say. "Should Prabowo win, this would literally be the end of opinion polling in Indonesia ... and a major, major upset," said Marcus Mietzner, associate professor at Australian National University. "The question is what the margin of victory will be," he said, predicting Widodo's re-election. A win for Widodo with 52-55 per cent of the vote would be the "sweet spot" said a senior government official close to the president, adding that this would spur him to continue and even accelerate economic reforms. 'Game of Thrones' Social media users compared the presidential race to the HBO series "Game of Thrones" - with one online meme showing Widodo sitting on its coveted Iron Throne. Widodo touted his record on deregulation and improving infrastructure, calling it a first step to tackling inequality and poverty in Southeast Asia's biggest economy. A moderate Muslim from central Java, Widodo had to burnish his Islamic credentials after smear campaigns and hoax stories accused him of being anti-Islam, a communist or too close to China, all politically damaging in Indonesia. He picked Islamic cleric Amin, 76, as his running mate. Prabowo, a former special forces commander who has links to some hardline Islamist groups, and his running mate, business entrepreneur Sandiaga Uno, say they will boost the economy by slashing taxes and cut food prices. Political analyst Dewi Fortuna Anwar said the "instrumentalisation" of religion had become much more visible in Indonesian politics in recent years with both candidates trying to appeal to conservative Islamic groups. Quick counts More than 192 million people are eligible to cast ballots in national and regional legislative elections being contested by more than 245,000 candidates. "Moving from authoritarianism to democracy is a very difficult process but Indonesia has developed a good track record for holding free, fair and peaceful elections," said Ben Bland, an analyst at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (2200 GMT on Tuesday) in the east and will close at 1 p.m. (0600 GMT) in the west. Unofficial "quick counts", based on samples from polling stations, will be released hours after voting ends. The winning presidential candidate could be known by late on Wednesday. Official results will be announced in May. Any disputes can be taken to the Constitutional Court where a nine-judge panel will have 14 days to rule on them.

Economy, conservative Islam in spotlight as Indonesia goes to the polls

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