Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/224062 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
Kiel Working Paper No. 2165
Publisher: 
Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Kiel
Abstract: 
The Covid-19 pandemic is a major test for governments around the world. We study the political consequences of (mis-)managing the Covid crisis by constructing a highfrequency dataset of government approval for 35 countries. In the first weeks after the outbreak, approval rates for incumbents increase strongly, consistent with a global 'rally around the flag' effect. Approval, however, drops again in countries where Covid cases continue to grow. This is especially true for governments that do not implement stringent policies to control the number of infections. Overall, the evidence suggests that loose pandemic policies are politically costly. Governments that placed more weight on health rather than short-term economic outcomes obtained higher approval.
Subjects: 
Political Popularity
Political Economy
Crisis Management
Covid-19
JEL: 
D72
H12
F50
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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