Coronavirus DK: Danes most satisfied with pandemic response

As reported by the Copenhagen Post, in a survey of 21 European countries, Denmark ranked the highest in satisfaction with the government’s management of the coronavirus crisis. The survey, entitled “Uncertainty/EU/Hope: Public Opinion in Times of COVID-19,” was commissioned by the European Parliament. It took place in the week ending May 1 and had more than 21,000 respondents.

Some 85 percent of Danes said they were satisfied with the government’s response to the epidemic. Ireland showed the same level, while Spain, Poland and France registered the least satisfaction. The survey covered many parameters. Denmark also recorded the lowest concerns about unemployment (8 percent) and loss of income (14 percent). Spain, Hungary and Greece had the worst results in these categories.

Consistent with earlier economic findings

The results are similar to those from a Eurofound poll conducted earlier in the crisis. That poll indicated that Denmark had the lowest level of job losses in the EU, 9.5 percent versus an average of 28.5 percent in the EU. It also showed that Denmark had the fewest people struggling financially (6.8 percent) and behind on rent or mortgage payments (2.3 percent). Danes also registered the highest level of well-being and life satisfaction, along with trust in the national government.

Survey results for Europe

Here are some of the other main findings from the European Parliament survey (averages for the 21 EU countries as a whole, weighted according to population):

• 50 percent say “Uncertainty” describes their general emotional mood; 41 percent say Hope; the other emotions cited most often were Helplessness (29 percent), Frustration (27 percent), Fear (22 percent), and Confidence (21 percent).
• 58 percent report financial difficulty.
• 53 percent say the health benefits of restrictions outweigh the economic damage.
• 70 percent communicate more often with family and friends.
• 40 percent help others with groceries and other errands; 26 percent receive help from others.
• 57 percent feel dissatisfaction with the solidarity shown among EU member states
• 52 percent are dissatisfied with the measures taken by the EU in response to the crisis.
• 69 percent want the EU to have greater powers to deal with crises like the pandemic.
• 56 percent are satisfied with their national government’s response.
• 41 percent say scientists are the most trusted source of information, vs. 34 percent for national health authorities and 32 percent for the WHO.
• 58 percent say that lockdown restrictions on individual freedoms were justified, while 28 percent were opposed to them.
• 51 percent approved of public authorities using mobile phone apps to monitor the pandemic, while 39 percent were opposed.

The 83-page survey contains detailed results broken down by individual country as well as by other parameters such as age, gender and level of education.

Support for a bigger EU?

The survey concludes by underscoring the dissatisfaction with solidarity among EU member states and a desire for the EU to have greater competencies for dealing with such crises. Its release comes at a time when most EU member states are calling for emergency grants to be made to the countries suffering the worst from the pandemic crisis, while Denmark and three other northern European countries are resisting the measure and favor loans instead of grants.

(Coronavirus DK will take a few days off and return on Sunday.)