Covid-19: Crisis, Accountability and Support for Populist-Authoritarian Governments in Poland and Hungary

StatusVoR
Dublin Core metadata
Alternative title
COVID-19: KRIZA, ODGOVORNOST IN PODPORA POPULISTIČNO- AVTORITARNIM VLADAM NA POLJSKEM IN MADŽARSKEM
Authors
Sata, Robert
Żerkowska-Balas, Marta
Monograph
Monograph (alternative title)
Date
2025-01
Publisher
Journal title
Journal of Comparative Politics
Issue
1
Volume
18
Pages
Pages
97-120
DOI
ISSN
1338-1385
ISSN of series
Weblink
https://www.jofcp.org/archives-2023-2025/
Access date
2025-01-01
Abstract PL
Abstract EN
We examine how pandemic crisis management has affected public support in the democratic backsliding members of the EU – Poland and Hungary. We claim the first, immediate effect of the pandemic is to “rally around flag” but since populist illiberal governments adopt authoritarian measures, the ongoing pandemic brings to the fore populists' failure/ineffective crisis management, and thus public dissatisfaction should erode support for the incumbents. Relying on original survey data collected during the Covid-19 pandemic, we test several possible sources of dissatisfaction: the state of the healthcare; the economy; corruption and abuse of power; and distorted communication/false information on the crisis. Citizens dissatisfied with governing populist parties’ performance should be willing to punish the “guilty” party withdrawing their support, yet we find partisan preferences affect government accountability evaluations and leave supporters immune to policy negative effects. Comparing Hungary to Poland, we see the more polarized society is, the more likely extraordinary circumstances will only reinforce divisions in society and strengthen incumbents.
Abstract other
V prispevku analiziramo kako je krizno upravljanje med pandemijo covid-19 vplivalo na javno podporo v demokratično nazadujočih članicah EU – Poljski in Madžarski. Trdimo, da je prvi, takojšnji učinek pandemije "združevanje okolizastave", toda ker populistične neliberalne vlade sprejemajo avtoritarne ukrepe, pandemija postavlja v ospredje neuspeh populistov in neučinkovito krizno upravljanje, zato bi moralo nezadovoljstvo javnosti zmanjšati podporo politike, kije na oblasti. Na podlagi izvirnih anketnih podatkov, zbranih v času pandemije covid-19, testiramo več možnih virov nezadovoljstva: stanje v zdravstvu, gospodarstvo, korupcija in zloraba oblasti in izkrivljena komunikacija oziroma lažne informacije. Državljani, ki so nezadovoljni z delovanjem vladajočih populističnih strank, bi morali biti pripravljeni kaznovati "krivca", vendar ugotavljamo, da strankarske preference vplivajo na ocene odgovornosti vlade in puščajo podpornike imune na negativne učinke politike. Če primerjamo Madžarsko s Poljsko, vidimo, da bolj kot je družba polarizirana, večja je verjetnost, da bodo izredne okoliščine okrepile delitve v družbi in s tem tudi obstoječe oblasti.
Keywords PL
Covid-19
rozliczalność
identyfikacja partyjna
erozja demokracji
Keywords EN
Covid-19
accountability
partisanship
public support
democratic backsliding.
Keywords other
Covid-19
odgovornost
strankarstvo
javna podpore
demokratično nazadovanje
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Place of exhibition (institution)
Exhibition curator
URI
https://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/1853
Type
License type
cc-by-sa
Except as otherwise noted, this item is licensed under the Attribution-ShareAlike licence | Permitted use of copyrighted works
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COVID-19: CRISIS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT FOR POPULIST-AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENTS IN POLAND AND HUNGARY
COVID-19: CRISIS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT FOR POPULIST-AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENTS IN POLAND AND HUNGARY(2.87 MB)
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Acquisition Date16.12.2025
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Acquisition Date16.12.2025
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