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When Distrust Goes Viral: Causal Effects of Covid-19 on European Political Attitudes

Author

Listed:
  • Gianmarco Daniele
  • Andrea F.M. Martinangeli
  • Francesco Passarelli
  • Willem Sas
  • Lisa Windsteiger

Abstract

To investigate how Covid-19 is shaping the way Europeans think about institutions, we conducted a large online survey experiment during the first wave of the epidemic (June). With a randomised survey ow we varied whether respondents are given Covid-related treatment questions first, before answering the outcome questions. We find that the crisis has severely undermined trust in politicians, the media, the EU and social welfare spending financed by taxes. This is mainly due to economic insecurity, but also because of health concerns. We also uncover a rallying effect around (scientific) expertise combined with populist policies losing ground.

Suggested Citation

  • Gianmarco Daniele & Andrea F.M. Martinangeli & Francesco Passarelli & Willem Sas & Lisa Windsteiger, 2020. "When Distrust Goes Viral: Causal Effects of Covid-19 on European Political Attitudes," CESifo Working Paper Series 8804, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_8804
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kerim Peren Arin & Juan A. Lacomba & Francisco Lagos & Ana I. Moro-Egido & Marcel Thum, 2021. "Socio-Economic Attitudes in the Era of Social Distancing and Lockdowns," CESifo Working Paper Series 8845, CESifo.
    2. Juan A. & Francisco Lagos & Ana I. Moro-Egido, 2022. "Job Insecurity during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain," ThE Papers 22/10, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada..
    3. Arin, K. Peren & Lacomba, Juan A. & Lagos, Francisco & Moro-Egido, Ana I. & Thum, Marcel, 2022. "Exploring the hidden impact of the Covid-19 pandemic: The role of urbanization," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    4. Yuen, Vera W.H., 2023. "The efficacy of health experts’ communication in inducing support for COVID-19 measures and effect on trustworthiness: A survey in Hong Kong," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    5. Marcel Thum, 2021. "Landesweite Lockdowns, wirtschaftliche Wahrnehmung und politische Einstellungen in der Bevölkerung," ifo Dresden berichtet, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 28(02), pages 15-18, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; institutional trust; political attitudes; online survey experiment; European Union; welfare; taxation; populism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe
    • P52 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Studies of Particular Economies

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