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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.

He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.

In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.

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The world knew the name of the new US president long before the Election Day. Only a miracle could tilt the balance to the other side. The world, however, didn't react uniformly to the election result. The friends of the United States, and not only to the current president Bush, were jubilating. Those who supported Bush more than his country were ironic. Some traditional foes couldn't allow for some time before making their demands. The general impression is that the world is welcoming the new US president. At the same time, another impression is that there won't be 'truce', some tolerance to allow him to enter the details of his job. Six months before real testing is in fact too generous prediction. The new US president may be tested immediately.

Asked what will be his top priority among a few, including health care, taxes, energy, war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the new US president-elect Obama answered: 'It may be none of these'. In fact, as the events unfold, the current financial and economic crisis may become his top priority, putting aside everything else. On the international arena, however, the US problems aren't only those in the Middle East. The entire world, with some fortunate exceptions, represents a mosaic of intertwining and highly conflicting interests. Only a small retreat of America here and there, or only a perception, right or wrong, that America is retreating, could trigger processes that are far from peaceful.

Russian appeal to the United States to scrap their plans of installing anti-missile defense in Eastern Europe or else face reciprocal installation of Russian missiles is just one early warning as of the real situation in many parts of the world. Russia tries to cope with its financial crisis and more militaristic rhetoric abroad well be welcomed in some domestic political circles. After the war between Russia and Georgia this summer nobody should avoid the unpleasant truth that the Kremlin had enough of being treated like secondary power after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Obama once in office would face challenges that he didn't expect during his triumphant campaign. The irony may be that at the end he would be forced to make decisions not too far different from those that are currently at use by his political archenemy Bush. The world is full of surprises and miscommunication. The role of the politicians isn't always to go ahead of the events; sometimes they just follow the events. Obama may be tested as soon as he enters the White House. In fact, another irony, by enormously raising the world's expectations, he partially contributed to this early testing.