Political Support and Anti-Liberal Orientations in the Pandemic Period

This chapter examines the relationships between political support, societal attitudes, and public opinions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic across Germany, France, Italy, and the UK. It provides a nuanced understanding of the socio-political dynamics in moments of crisis through a detailed cross-national and case-specific analysis. A key finding is the identification of the temporary ‘rally round the flag’ effect as observed at the onset of the pandemic, which was driven by heightened uncertainty and government responses. However, this effect was short-lived and dependent on context, with polarisation of political views re-emerging as the crisis developed. Despite initial increases in government approval in Italy, long-standing partisan divides remained resilient. Shifts in political support were largely influenced by changes in the political context—particularly government changes—rather than by the pandemic itself. Across Germany, France, and Italy, anti-liberal and collectivist viewpoints peaked early during the pandemic but rapidly declined as governments implemented robust social protections that mitigated public uncertainty. These findings underscore the importance of high-frequency survey data collection to capture the transient nature of attitudinal shifts during crises. The study highlights the role of political culture, governance structures, and social policies in shaping public responses, offering critical insights into how crises influence political support and societal values.