2731. Czech perception of EU’s Reaction to COVID-19
- Author:
- Vít Havelka
- Publication Date:
- 08-2020
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Europeum Institute for European Policy
- Abstract:
- This text deals with the topic of the European Union's response to COVID-19 and how it is perceived by Czech society. As of 13th August 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 179 000 European lives out of 1,8 million who contracted with the virus1 . Most of the European states issued lockdowns, significantly curtailing economic activity. This resulted in the deepest recorded recession in the EU, reaching negative 11,9% GDP growth in the second quarter of 2020. . ▪ As a reaction to the ongoing economic crisis, the European Council decided to create a joint €750 billion recovery fund called Next Generation EU that should be financed by loans and repaid after 2027, a significant step that might mitigate the poor perception of the EU actions during the initial weeks of the health crisis. Significant EU criticism appeared in Italy; leading international outlets started discussing whether Europe had lost Italy.
- Topic:
- Governance, Public Opinion, European Union, COVID-19, and Health Crisis
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Czech Republic