Live ticker US election 2024: Trump denies responsibility for Capitol storm | FAZ

In the USA, the TV duel between presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump has begun. Almost two months before the presidential election, the two opponents faced off in a 90-minute debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. ABC is broadcasting the TV duel, which is considered to be of great importance given the neck-and-neck race between the Democrat and the Republican in the polls.

The TV duel is considered to be of great importance, as the 59-year-old vice president and the 78-year-old former president are in a close head-to-head race in the polls. The two very different candidates have never met in person. For Harris, it is the first TV debate, and for Trump, who is running for president for the third time, it is the seventh.

There is a lot at stake, some TV debates have decided the US election. Glitches or mistakes can have devastating consequences – in the case of outgoing incumbent Joe Biden, his blunder in the duel with Trump on June 27 meant the end of his plan to move into the White House for another four years despite his advanced age.

Important topics of the debate are likely to be economic and migration policybut the abortion issue and foreign policy are also likely to be discussed, as well as the criminal proceedings pending against Trump for election fraud.

The rules for the TV battle are defined in detail. The microphone is muted for the candidate whose turn it is not. The candidates have two minutes to answer, and two minutes are then allowed for a reply. There are no spectators in the room.