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Crisis management and attitudes towards democracy: The case of the COVID-19 recovery plan in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Lea Heyne

    (Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Rubén Ruiz-Rufino

    (Department of Political Economy, King’s College London, UK)

Abstract

What is the relationship between crisis management strategies and democratic attitudes in a supranational economic union? We analyse the process of policy convergence within the European Union (EU) in the handling of the economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing countries with different conditionality experiences during the 2010 sovereign debt crisis. Unlike in 2010, the strategy for managing the 2020 crisis reflected institutional efforts towards greater fiscal solidarity at the supranational level and policy responsiveness at the national level. We argue that this policy shift has improved attitudes towards democracy. Using quasi-experimental evidence from an unexpected event analysis during Eurobarometer 93.1 fieldwork, we show that the announcement of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) in 2020 increased satisfaction with democracy (SWD), particularly among individuals who experienced strict conditionality during the 2010 crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Lea Heyne & Rubén Ruiz-Rufino, 2025. "Crisis management and attitudes towards democracy: The case of the COVID-19 recovery plan in Europe," European Union Politics, , vol. 26(3), pages 552-572, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:26:y:2025:i:3:p:552-572
    DOI: 10.1177/14651165251340209
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    References listed on IDEAS

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