Leaders' Fortunes Diverge Amid COVID-19 Test... Approval Ratings Rise Despite Worsening Situation?

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Heads of state around the world, facing the test of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis, are experiencing mixed fortunes with fluctuations in their approval ratings. Generally, it seems that leaders who successfully manage a crisis would gain support, but some leaders' approval ratings have risen despite poor COVID-19 responses, suggesting that the success or failure of COVID-19 management does not necessarily correlate directly with approval ratings, reported The Washington Post (WP) on the 13th (local time).

In an article published that day, WP analyzed and reported on the approval ratings of world leaders during the COVID-19 era. WP mentioned President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and German Chancellor Angela Merkel as leaders whose approval ratings increased due to the COVID-19 situation. Before the pandemic, President Moon faced political scandals with petitions demanding impeachment, and Chancellor Merkel had announced she would only serve until 2021 amid resignation pressures.

WP stated, "Both leaders initially faced criticism over their responses but began to act decisively, becoming role models in their respective regions." South Korea rapidly expanded testing and traced contacts, and Germany adopted similar measures, keeping deaths to about a quarter of Italy's, which led to increased approval ratings. Consequently, Chancellor Merkel's approval rating rose from 53% in February to 68% this month, and President Moon won the general election last month, WP added.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was also introduced as one of the leaders whose approval ratings increased. After issuing a strong lockdown order at the end of March to block COVID-19, her approval rating rose to 87% last week as no new cases appeared, marking an increase compared to before.

However, WP reported that some leaders maintain high approval ratings despite failing to manage COVID-19 effectively. In particular, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was found to maintain high approval ratings even as COVID-19 deaths worsened to the second highest worldwide.

Professor Tim Bale of Queen Mary University said, "No one openly says that Johnson's hospitalization due to COVID-19 was lucky," but added, "There was clearly an element of luck involved." Professor Bale explained, "Criticism could have been raised over the government's delayed response and lockdown, but there was considerable sympathy for Johnson."

Although Johnson's approval rating remains high, Professor Bale pointed out that growing dissatisfaction with the government's slow response and lack of essential testing equipment, along with increased pressure from the opposition Labour Party, could change the situation soon.

In Italy, where the COVID-19 outbreak started earliest in Europe, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, whose approval rating plummeted last year after the ruling coalition collapsed, is regaining political ground. His approval rating has risen by 20 percentage points since the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite failing to prevent the spread and the expected significant economic losses due to enforced lockdowns, his approval rating has increased.

However, after enduring the difficult lockdown, public patience has waned, and opposition from some opposition parties against Conte's plan to lift lockdown measures early has caused his approval rating to decline somewhat.

On the other hand, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who were heavily criticized for inadequate COVID-19 responses, have seen their approval ratings drop significantly. Additionally, a joint survey by WP and the University of Maryland last month showed that 54% of respondents opposed U.S. President Donald Trump's administration due to poor COVID-19 management.

WP concluded, "Voters tend to support governments during crises and economic downturns, but as the initial shock of COVID-19 subsides and economic impacts deepen, the long-term effects on approval ratings will need to be observed over time."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.