Moral Values in Political Discourses in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Analysis of the Speeches of the Heads of State of Germany, France and Romania

The unexpected situation caused by the rapid spread of the new coronavirus (Covid-19) at the beginning of 2020 led to a series of unprecedented political actions and measures. In many democratic European countries, this also meant state intervention in areas previously not regulated by the state, as in the private sphere of individuals. Aimed at limiting the spreading of the virus and preventing illness and death, such measures have been justified precisely through moral values such as individual and public health, life as a fundamental value, solidarity, unity, responsibility, support and care for others, etc., which, in this context, were considered to be paramount in relation to other values, such as freedom in general or the right to decisions and the unrestricted private sphere. This article analyses the speeches given to the nation in March 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, by the heads of state of three countries in the European Union: Germany, France, and Romania. Using thematic discourse analysis, there is examined the extent and the way in which the speakers appealed to moral values in their discourses to announce and justify the restrictive measures, but also to persuade, mobilize and encourage the population. The analysis reveals that, in their speeches, the heads of state of Germany, France, and Romania resorted, albeit to a different extent, to a multitude of moral values, not only to announce and to justify the actions to restrict social life and limit the rights and freedoms of citizens, but also to make them understood and accepted. The paper investigates in detail these ethical values, their significance and the context in which they were used, as well as the similarities, respectively the differences highlighted by the thematic discourse analysis between the speeches of the three heads of state.