Publics divided on pandemic
The publics of several wealthy countries feel that their governments have handled the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic well, according to new polling data from the Pew Research Center. Meanwhile, people in the three countries with the most COVID-19 cases either have a positive view of their leaders or are deeply divided.
The Pew poll looked at 14 wealthy countries and found that a median of 73 percent of people in these countries believe that their country has handled the pandemic well. In particular, 95 percent of people in Denmark, 94 percent in Australia, 88 percent in Germany and Canada, and 86 percent in South Korea have a positive view of the pandemic response. This is unsurprising, as these countries have contained the virus much better than many other countries. The US and the UK stand out among the 14 countries in the Pew poll as the only ones where a majority of people said their country had handled the pandemic poorly. This likely reflects the reality that both countries have struggled to contain the virus and have a lack of consensus on how to respond. In the US, the pandemic has added to an already high level of political and social polarization. A FiveThirtyEight poll tracker this week reported that 57 percent of Americans disapproved of President Donald Trump’s handling of the pandemic. However, 81 percent of Republicans approved of the president’s response, compared to 34 percent of independents and only 8 percent of Democrats.
The Pew poll also found that a median of 48 percent of respondents across the 14 countries believed that divisions in their countries have grown since the pandemic started, compared to 46 percent who believed their countries had become more unified. The US stood out here, with 77 percent of Americans perceiving their country as more divided than before the pandemic.
The three countries with the highest total COVID-19 cases and deaths are the US, India and Brazil. Even accounting for their large populations, these countries and their economies have been hit hard by the pandemic. Despite this, the reality of the publics’ views of their leaders is complicated.
Americans and Brazilians’ views of how Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, respectively, have responded to the pandemic are deeply divided, reflecting political divisions that predate the pandemic. Republicans tend to approve of Trump while Democrats disapprove. Brazilians are also divided about Bolsonaro. India has suffered particularly badly, with significant COVID-19 infection rates and a devastating impact on the economy. Nonetheless, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains popular. A poll published in India Today in August found that 77 percent of Indians say Modi is doing a good or outstanding job.
One reason for Modi’s popularity despite a historic economic and health crisis — and why support for Trump and Bolsonaro also remains so strong among their supporters — is that populism is particularly attractive in troubled times. These leaders’ promises and ideas are welcomed at a time when people feel confused and frightened.