Americans will head to the polls in November 2024 to elect the next US president. The person sitting in the White House’s Oval Office has a big influence on people’s lives both at home and abroad, so the outcome of this election matters for everyone.
The US political system today is dominated by just two parties, so every president in modern times has belonged to one of them.
The Democrats are the liberal political party, with an agenda defined largely by its push for civil rights, a broad social safety net and measures to address climate change.
It is the party of incumbent President Joe Biden, who is trying to secure a second term in power.
The Republicans are the conservative political party in the US. Also known as the GOP, or the Grand Old Party, it has stood for lower taxes, shrinking the size of the government, gun rights and tighter restrictions on immigration and abortion.
Former President Donald Trump is the last Republican left in the race and has secured enough support to be nominated the Republican candidate.
The nominations will be made official at party conventions this summer.
