The Coronavirus Pandemic All contributions by the Heinrich Böll Foundation on the political consequences of the coronavirus. Are fitness trackers the next answer to fight Covid-19? Commentary As contact-tracing apps prove less useful than hoped in many countries, other digital tools such as wearable fitness trackers are gaining in popularity for detecting or tracing coronavirus infection. But a reliance on such technologies comes with big questions about effectiveness and privacy. By Deepika Yadav Why we need to rethink open data in Asia during Covid-19 Commentary In Asia, the pandemic has accelerated efforts to keep citizens informed through prompt and extensive data sharing. However, this new openness has also led to concerns regarding transparency, data protection, and democratic participation. By Benjamin Zhou "It must be a plot!" – Coronavirus conspiracy theorists take to streets in Germany Commentary Conspiracy theories might seem funny in ordinary times. But against the backdrop of escalating far-right attacks worldwide in recent years and now the pandemic, these myths have spiraled into a dangerous pattern of radicalization. By Katharina Nocun For people with disabilities, working from home using tech is a relief – and a struggle Feature Increased use of digital communication tools during the Covid-19 lockdowns has made working from home acceptable – and even more sociable – for many people with disabilities. But technology still has a long way to go toward inclusion. Four professionals talk about the pros and cons. By Hawken Miller It's time for a transatlantic digital agenda Commentary The pandemic-driven boost of digital innovation holds opportunities, but it needs a sound political framework. From countering disinformation to preventing algorithmic discrimination, the U.S. and the EU need to work together to set the rules for our digital economies and societies. By Julia Reda Between confrontation and cooperation: Coronavirus and the international order Analysis The coronavirus crisis comes at a time when the international order is already under stress, mainly driven by a new rivalry between “great powers”. Coronavirus could either exacerbate this trend, or it could breathe new life into international cooperation. Another possibility is that rivalry will remain central to the coming order, but one in which democracies come closer together to push back against autocratic bids for global power and influence. A geopolitical analysis. By Dr. Ulrich Speck How the pandemic strained the European Parliament’s digital infrastructure Commentary The coronavirus lockdown caught the IT infrastructure of the European Parliament unprepared for such severe emergency conditions. The EU's parliamentary work comes with distinct political sensitivities and responsibilities for transparency that complicate the legislative process. Any measures taken to introduce digital tools now and in the future must safeguard vital democratic principles. By Eszter Bakó How not to use tech in a pandemic - lessons from the UK Commentary From legal challenges to delays, leaks and policy reversals, the UK has stumbled in its tech response to the pandemic. A full assessment of what happened will take time, but the record thus far already offers lessons for the future. By Frederike Kaltheuner Home office could be here to stay in Germany – if the internet in rural areas holds up Feature The coronavirus pandemic forced half of the German working population to work from home. A majority was happy with the move, an early study indicates. If the broadband expansion catches up in the countryside, many might never go back. By Felix Franz How coronavirus has worsened the plight of refugees in Tunisia Background In the shadows of the Covid-19-crisis, refugees and irregular migrants in Europe’s neighbouring countries are afraid for their very existence and terrified of long-term detention in reception camps. In Tunisia, political provisions are being put into place and emergency plans negotiated to deal with migrants and refugees on their way to Europe. By Fabian Heppe From mass protests to the SARS-CoV2 crisis: the public health crisis is worsening the social crisis in Chile Background The October uprising has paved the way for new constitution in Chile. However, the virus has forced citizens’ organisations into quarantine and is delaying constitutional change. What happens next? By Ingrid Wehr The pandemic that exposed British neoliberalism Commentary In its response to coronavirus, Britain has fared substantially worse than most other countries. The roots of this failure are in the neoliberal consensus – a consensus that is now vanishing. By James Bartholomeusz Transformative Responses for a way out of the crisis Statement Transformative responses is a transnational network which aims to increase our systems' resilience by addressing the socio-economic and ecological challenges at the intersection of finance, ecology and inequality with concrete actions and policies to mitigate crisis and initiate structural reform. Migrants and Refugees in a Time of Pandemic: Access to Healthcare Services in Turkey Article The Covid-19 pandemic affects different groups of people differently. It is, however, possible to argue that asylum seekers, migrants and refugees scattered across the globe are among the most vulnerable groups to the outbreak. Yet, what are the key challenges facing migrants and refugees in Turkey, particularly challenges in accessing healthcare services during the pandemic? We need a democratic debate on tech, privacy and social rights Commentary Tech will not free us from coronavirus, but it can provide us with helpful tools – if we foster an open and democratic debate on how to use it. By Alexandra Geese The bio-surveillance state: an emerging new normal in Asia Analysis The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the use of digital technologies that are shaping people's lives and interaction with society. The development of apps to monitor the movements and health status of individual citizens will have long-term implications for privacy and safety. Nowhere is this more visible than in Asia. By Dev Lewis Europe's disinformation epidemic: Who's checking the facts? Analysis Disinformation is out of control as malicious actors seek to capitalise on the Covid-19 pandemic. To date, EU schemes to tackle disinformation have focused on self regulation, but there are widespread concerns about how the EU is managing the crisis. Germany’s epic corona-tracing debate: a risky game with public trust Analysis The debate over the data storage model of a coronavirus tracing app shows how the German government’s search for digital infection control tools became caught up between public health officials, privacy experts and the US tech industry. By Vérane Meyer Crisis is gendered. Women in the times of pandemic Analysis The crisis associated with the Covid19 pandemic has a gender, and clearly shows social inequalities of all kinds. It particularly affects women, as well as disadvantaged and variously marginalised groups. There are also attempts to exploit the pandemic for short-term political goals directly targeting women's rights. By Elżbieta Korolczuk The invisible coronavirus makes systemic gender inequalities and injustices visible Article COVID-19 uniquely affects women. Here are many of the ways it does. By Liane Schalatek “The Pandemic Is Deepening the Divide" Interview The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the global economy are dramatic. The virus is shaking all major economies simultaneously. At the same time, the crisis is acting as an accelerator for the developing countries that were already highly in debt. An Interview with Barbara Unmüßig, President of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, on the latest developments. The Hong Kong way to combat Covid-19: “Take things in our own hands” Background Quiet streets and empty malls on Friday nights. In the eyes of overseas visitors, the city might still seem lively, but for Hongkongers like me the vibrant buzz of this city has been replaced by fear, personal isolation, and the smell of rancid surgical masks. By Lucia Siu The social dimension of the coronavirus crisis in the USA Analysis The coronavirus crisis is leading to massive social distortions in the US. It is increasing the existing structural inequalities and discriminations in the US economy and society. By Bastian Hermisson A Patient at Risk Commentary We are living in difficult times and while the number of human COVID-19 infections continues to be on the rise, there is one patient that should not be forgotten: our parliamentary democracy. Judging from what we have seen in the past few weeks, the patient is in a serious condition and the prognosis is unclear. By Sergey Lagodinsky Russia: Pechenegs, Polovetzians and the coronavirus Background President Vladimir Putin is facing the greatest challenge of his political career: the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Russia is expected to peak in the next few weeks. Johannes Voswinkel, Head of our Moscow office, reports on timid action, an unexpected crisis manager and the fears of breaking into the reserves. By Johannes Voswinkel 10 ways of thinking about crisis resilience Commentary It is still too early to learn lessons from the coronavirus crisis. However, there is one term that comes to mind when addressing the inevitable directions of political thinking after the crisis: resilience. But what exactly does it mean and how will it influence the political agenda? By Dr. Ellen Ueberschär Syriaʹs crisis within a crisis – coronavirus could hit hard Article The corona pandemic has reached Syria. Anna Fleischer, Program Coordinator for Syria, explains why the virus could hit the country extremely hard and above all endanger those imprisoned. By Anna Fleischer COVID-19: What will be the impact on gender inequality in Senegal? Article On 2 March 2020, Senegal reported its first case of coronavirus. This new form of COVID-19 has spread around the globe, with the declaration of a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March. The public health crisis is wreaking havoc upon all social and economic aspects of people’s lives in every corner of the world, including a notable impact on gender inequality. Orbán’s pandemic authoritarian grab Commentary Viktor Orbán uses the Covid-19 pandemic as a pretext to complete his authoritarian regime. These moves are not purely the domestic political problems of Hungary – an authoritarian state within the EU could be deadly dangerous for the entire project. Germany has a very important role to play in the current situation. By Péter Krekó How does the Covid-19 pandemic affect LGBTI+ community in Turkey? Covid-19 in Turkey and the implications for LGBTI+ people who are among the most vulnerable groups in the country and who had already been struggling with challenges in accessing rights and facing systematic rights violations, including those related to the right to life. In addition to inequalities in enjoying the right to health and the right to employment, as well as soaring reports of domestic violence under isolation, the LGBTI+ community has been targeted by a recent wave of hate-motivated campaigns. By Yıldız Tar EU struggles to reconcile contact tracing with high privacy standards Analysis As European countries turn to apps to contain the pandemic, the EU must weigh the public health emergency against its own data protection rules. Policymakers and experts on data protection and privacy in Brussels warn that tracing and monitoring technology can undermine fundamental rights. By Alexander Fanta Nigeria: A Dual Challenge Background Nigeria stands at the very brink of its own COVID-19 epidemic. However, the country has been in the grips of serious crisis for weeks: the collapse in oil prices has led to brutal budget cuts and provokes a recession in the country, which depends heavily on oil exports. The timing could not be worse in view of the forthcoming pandemic challenges. By Jochen Luckscheiter Lack of privacy law complicates US debate over Covid-19 tracking Analysis App developers and state governments in the United States are churning out new technologies for tracking the spread of the coronavirus. In the absence of a national privacy law, experts raise concerns about surveillance and scramble to define the boundaries for data collection during the pandemic. By Gopal Ratnam Coronavirus crisis in Israel: A lifeline for Netanyahu Background Benjamin Netanyahu could not even win the third election held within one year. Now, he is using the coronavirus crisis to profile himself as an indispensable statesman and secure his power – to the detriment of Israeli democracy. By Steffen Hagemann Corona crisis in South Africa: Hand-washing in townships? Commentary With only three day notice, South Africa went into full lockdown on the night from 26 to 27 March. What happened in the three days leading up the lockdown is highly impressive. Instead of everyone following the instinct of making provision for themselves, neighbourhood solidarity networks sprang up spontaneously. By Katrin Seidel Digitalisation and the coronavirus in Morocco: From care to control? Background With a series of digital measures introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Morocco is creating a trade-off between ways to provide rapid support and the parallel development of digital control. By Anja Hoffmann and Bauke Baumann Covid-19 in the South Caucasus – fast reactions and authoritarian reflexes Article All three countries of the South Caucasus have weak social systems. Many people work in precarious jobs in the service sector, tourism and agriculture. By Stefan Meister Covid-19 pandemic shows how fragile the EU is Commentary Not only has the new coronavirus catapulted us out of our everyday lives, but the way the EU is handling the Covid-19 pandemic has made its inability to take action in times of crisis painfully apparent. Just as people are stranded at airports and railway stations, any hope that Europe is capable of pulling together has also been stranded in the last few weeks. By Eva van de Rakt and Florian Christl Will Big Tech emerge as the big winner in the coronacrisis? Not so fast. Analysis Big technology companies are getting a break from the “techlash,” but this does not mean that the monopolists are permanently off the hook. The crisis has highlighted privacy and security concerns and well as subpar labor standards in the industry. Social media face additional scrutiny for how they deal with COVID-19 related disinformation. By Sabine Muscat Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rule of law in Central Europe: Turning Crisis into opportunity? Background The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 disease has brought about an extraordinary situation. Although the past decades have brought numerous challenges like terrorism or the climate change, the global spread of a disease for which there is neither a cure nor vaccination available is something that political leaders have no experience in tackling. By Pavlína Janebová A state in danger - special legal order introduced in Hungary analysis The Hungarian Parliament passed a new act on Monday, which gives an already authoritarian government extraordinary, dangerous powers. A British crisis of confidence Article In post-Brexit Britain, the coronavirus crisis comes amid a crisis of confidence in its political leadership. The British public is now watching the National Health Service (NHS) trying to rise to the challenge after a decade of austerity. By Julia Himmrich Coronavirus - The situation in Italy following the EU summit Analysis Italy was the first country in Europe to be affected by the Covid-19 virus. It was also the first democratic state that took measures to contain the epidemic – as it was still being called at the time, before it mutated into a pandemic. I By Christopher Hein The coronavirus crisis: Where the Trump administration went wrong Background The US government’s crisis management has been a disaster so far. Donald Trump has three basic tendencies, which have served him well in the past as a populist, but which will cause severe damage to the US population in this situation and may usher in the end of his political career. By Bastian Hermisson Frankreich: Eingesperrt und alleingelassen Kommentar Das sonst so pulsierende Paris wirkt angesichts der Corona-Maßnahmen wie ausgestorben. Bars, Cafés, Restaurants und alles andere ist geschlossen, hinter den Fenstern stapeln sich die leeren Stühle. Nur vor Supermärkten, Bäckereien, Metzgereien und Apotheken stehen lange Schlangen, in einem Abstand von mindestens einem Meter. By Dr. Jens Althoff The Pandemic, Coronavirus, and Quarantine: Women at Risk Analytics The consequences of COVID-19 for society are yet to be studied. However, we can already predict the impact of the pandemic on the situation of women in Ukraine. By Olena Strelnik
Are fitness trackers the next answer to fight Covid-19? Commentary As contact-tracing apps prove less useful than hoped in many countries, other digital tools such as wearable fitness trackers are gaining in popularity for detecting or tracing coronavirus infection. But a reliance on such technologies comes with big questions about effectiveness and privacy. By Deepika Yadav
Why we need to rethink open data in Asia during Covid-19 Commentary In Asia, the pandemic has accelerated efforts to keep citizens informed through prompt and extensive data sharing. However, this new openness has also led to concerns regarding transparency, data protection, and democratic participation. By Benjamin Zhou
"It must be a plot!" – Coronavirus conspiracy theorists take to streets in Germany Commentary Conspiracy theories might seem funny in ordinary times. But against the backdrop of escalating far-right attacks worldwide in recent years and now the pandemic, these myths have spiraled into a dangerous pattern of radicalization. By Katharina Nocun
For people with disabilities, working from home using tech is a relief – and a struggle Feature Increased use of digital communication tools during the Covid-19 lockdowns has made working from home acceptable – and even more sociable – for many people with disabilities. But technology still has a long way to go toward inclusion. Four professionals talk about the pros and cons. By Hawken Miller
It's time for a transatlantic digital agenda Commentary The pandemic-driven boost of digital innovation holds opportunities, but it needs a sound political framework. From countering disinformation to preventing algorithmic discrimination, the U.S. and the EU need to work together to set the rules for our digital economies and societies. By Julia Reda
Between confrontation and cooperation: Coronavirus and the international order Analysis The coronavirus crisis comes at a time when the international order is already under stress, mainly driven by a new rivalry between “great powers”. Coronavirus could either exacerbate this trend, or it could breathe new life into international cooperation. Another possibility is that rivalry will remain central to the coming order, but one in which democracies come closer together to push back against autocratic bids for global power and influence. A geopolitical analysis. By Dr. Ulrich Speck
How the pandemic strained the European Parliament’s digital infrastructure Commentary The coronavirus lockdown caught the IT infrastructure of the European Parliament unprepared for such severe emergency conditions. The EU's parliamentary work comes with distinct political sensitivities and responsibilities for transparency that complicate the legislative process. Any measures taken to introduce digital tools now and in the future must safeguard vital democratic principles. By Eszter Bakó
How not to use tech in a pandemic - lessons from the UK Commentary From legal challenges to delays, leaks and policy reversals, the UK has stumbled in its tech response to the pandemic. A full assessment of what happened will take time, but the record thus far already offers lessons for the future. By Frederike Kaltheuner
Home office could be here to stay in Germany – if the internet in rural areas holds up Feature The coronavirus pandemic forced half of the German working population to work from home. A majority was happy with the move, an early study indicates. If the broadband expansion catches up in the countryside, many might never go back. By Felix Franz
How coronavirus has worsened the plight of refugees in Tunisia Background In the shadows of the Covid-19-crisis, refugees and irregular migrants in Europe’s neighbouring countries are afraid for their very existence and terrified of long-term detention in reception camps. In Tunisia, political provisions are being put into place and emergency plans negotiated to deal with migrants and refugees on their way to Europe. By Fabian Heppe
From mass protests to the SARS-CoV2 crisis: the public health crisis is worsening the social crisis in Chile Background The October uprising has paved the way for new constitution in Chile. However, the virus has forced citizens’ organisations into quarantine and is delaying constitutional change. What happens next? By Ingrid Wehr
The pandemic that exposed British neoliberalism Commentary In its response to coronavirus, Britain has fared substantially worse than most other countries. The roots of this failure are in the neoliberal consensus – a consensus that is now vanishing. By James Bartholomeusz
Transformative Responses for a way out of the crisis Statement Transformative responses is a transnational network which aims to increase our systems' resilience by addressing the socio-economic and ecological challenges at the intersection of finance, ecology and inequality with concrete actions and policies to mitigate crisis and initiate structural reform.
Migrants and Refugees in a Time of Pandemic: Access to Healthcare Services in Turkey Article The Covid-19 pandemic affects different groups of people differently. It is, however, possible to argue that asylum seekers, migrants and refugees scattered across the globe are among the most vulnerable groups to the outbreak. Yet, what are the key challenges facing migrants and refugees in Turkey, particularly challenges in accessing healthcare services during the pandemic?
We need a democratic debate on tech, privacy and social rights Commentary Tech will not free us from coronavirus, but it can provide us with helpful tools – if we foster an open and democratic debate on how to use it. By Alexandra Geese
The bio-surveillance state: an emerging new normal in Asia Analysis The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the use of digital technologies that are shaping people's lives and interaction with society. The development of apps to monitor the movements and health status of individual citizens will have long-term implications for privacy and safety. Nowhere is this more visible than in Asia. By Dev Lewis
Europe's disinformation epidemic: Who's checking the facts? Analysis Disinformation is out of control as malicious actors seek to capitalise on the Covid-19 pandemic. To date, EU schemes to tackle disinformation have focused on self regulation, but there are widespread concerns about how the EU is managing the crisis.
Germany’s epic corona-tracing debate: a risky game with public trust Analysis The debate over the data storage model of a coronavirus tracing app shows how the German government’s search for digital infection control tools became caught up between public health officials, privacy experts and the US tech industry. By Vérane Meyer
Crisis is gendered. Women in the times of pandemic Analysis The crisis associated with the Covid19 pandemic has a gender, and clearly shows social inequalities of all kinds. It particularly affects women, as well as disadvantaged and variously marginalised groups. There are also attempts to exploit the pandemic for short-term political goals directly targeting women's rights. By Elżbieta Korolczuk
The invisible coronavirus makes systemic gender inequalities and injustices visible Article COVID-19 uniquely affects women. Here are many of the ways it does. By Liane Schalatek
“The Pandemic Is Deepening the Divide" Interview The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the global economy are dramatic. The virus is shaking all major economies simultaneously. At the same time, the crisis is acting as an accelerator for the developing countries that were already highly in debt. An Interview with Barbara Unmüßig, President of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, on the latest developments.
The Hong Kong way to combat Covid-19: “Take things in our own hands” Background Quiet streets and empty malls on Friday nights. In the eyes of overseas visitors, the city might still seem lively, but for Hongkongers like me the vibrant buzz of this city has been replaced by fear, personal isolation, and the smell of rancid surgical masks. By Lucia Siu
The social dimension of the coronavirus crisis in the USA Analysis The coronavirus crisis is leading to massive social distortions in the US. It is increasing the existing structural inequalities and discriminations in the US economy and society. By Bastian Hermisson
A Patient at Risk Commentary We are living in difficult times and while the number of human COVID-19 infections continues to be on the rise, there is one patient that should not be forgotten: our parliamentary democracy. Judging from what we have seen in the past few weeks, the patient is in a serious condition and the prognosis is unclear. By Sergey Lagodinsky
Russia: Pechenegs, Polovetzians and the coronavirus Background President Vladimir Putin is facing the greatest challenge of his political career: the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Russia is expected to peak in the next few weeks. Johannes Voswinkel, Head of our Moscow office, reports on timid action, an unexpected crisis manager and the fears of breaking into the reserves. By Johannes Voswinkel
10 ways of thinking about crisis resilience Commentary It is still too early to learn lessons from the coronavirus crisis. However, there is one term that comes to mind when addressing the inevitable directions of political thinking after the crisis: resilience. But what exactly does it mean and how will it influence the political agenda? By Dr. Ellen Ueberschär
Syriaʹs crisis within a crisis – coronavirus could hit hard Article The corona pandemic has reached Syria. Anna Fleischer, Program Coordinator for Syria, explains why the virus could hit the country extremely hard and above all endanger those imprisoned. By Anna Fleischer
COVID-19: What will be the impact on gender inequality in Senegal? Article On 2 March 2020, Senegal reported its first case of coronavirus. This new form of COVID-19 has spread around the globe, with the declaration of a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March. The public health crisis is wreaking havoc upon all social and economic aspects of people’s lives in every corner of the world, including a notable impact on gender inequality.
Orbán’s pandemic authoritarian grab Commentary Viktor Orbán uses the Covid-19 pandemic as a pretext to complete his authoritarian regime. These moves are not purely the domestic political problems of Hungary – an authoritarian state within the EU could be deadly dangerous for the entire project. Germany has a very important role to play in the current situation. By Péter Krekó
How does the Covid-19 pandemic affect LGBTI+ community in Turkey? Covid-19 in Turkey and the implications for LGBTI+ people who are among the most vulnerable groups in the country and who had already been struggling with challenges in accessing rights and facing systematic rights violations, including those related to the right to life. In addition to inequalities in enjoying the right to health and the right to employment, as well as soaring reports of domestic violence under isolation, the LGBTI+ community has been targeted by a recent wave of hate-motivated campaigns. By Yıldız Tar
EU struggles to reconcile contact tracing with high privacy standards Analysis As European countries turn to apps to contain the pandemic, the EU must weigh the public health emergency against its own data protection rules. Policymakers and experts on data protection and privacy in Brussels warn that tracing and monitoring technology can undermine fundamental rights. By Alexander Fanta
Nigeria: A Dual Challenge Background Nigeria stands at the very brink of its own COVID-19 epidemic. However, the country has been in the grips of serious crisis for weeks: the collapse in oil prices has led to brutal budget cuts and provokes a recession in the country, which depends heavily on oil exports. The timing could not be worse in view of the forthcoming pandemic challenges. By Jochen Luckscheiter
Lack of privacy law complicates US debate over Covid-19 tracking Analysis App developers and state governments in the United States are churning out new technologies for tracking the spread of the coronavirus. In the absence of a national privacy law, experts raise concerns about surveillance and scramble to define the boundaries for data collection during the pandemic. By Gopal Ratnam
Coronavirus crisis in Israel: A lifeline for Netanyahu Background Benjamin Netanyahu could not even win the third election held within one year. Now, he is using the coronavirus crisis to profile himself as an indispensable statesman and secure his power – to the detriment of Israeli democracy. By Steffen Hagemann
Corona crisis in South Africa: Hand-washing in townships? Commentary With only three day notice, South Africa went into full lockdown on the night from 26 to 27 March. What happened in the three days leading up the lockdown is highly impressive. Instead of everyone following the instinct of making provision for themselves, neighbourhood solidarity networks sprang up spontaneously. By Katrin Seidel
Digitalisation and the coronavirus in Morocco: From care to control? Background With a series of digital measures introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Morocco is creating a trade-off between ways to provide rapid support and the parallel development of digital control. By Anja Hoffmann and Bauke Baumann
Covid-19 in the South Caucasus – fast reactions and authoritarian reflexes Article All three countries of the South Caucasus have weak social systems. Many people work in precarious jobs in the service sector, tourism and agriculture. By Stefan Meister
Covid-19 pandemic shows how fragile the EU is Commentary Not only has the new coronavirus catapulted us out of our everyday lives, but the way the EU is handling the Covid-19 pandemic has made its inability to take action in times of crisis painfully apparent. Just as people are stranded at airports and railway stations, any hope that Europe is capable of pulling together has also been stranded in the last few weeks. By Eva van de Rakt and Florian Christl
Will Big Tech emerge as the big winner in the coronacrisis? Not so fast. Analysis Big technology companies are getting a break from the “techlash,” but this does not mean that the monopolists are permanently off the hook. The crisis has highlighted privacy and security concerns and well as subpar labor standards in the industry. Social media face additional scrutiny for how they deal with COVID-19 related disinformation. By Sabine Muscat
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rule of law in Central Europe: Turning Crisis into opportunity? Background The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 disease has brought about an extraordinary situation. Although the past decades have brought numerous challenges like terrorism or the climate change, the global spread of a disease for which there is neither a cure nor vaccination available is something that political leaders have no experience in tackling. By Pavlína Janebová
A state in danger - special legal order introduced in Hungary analysis The Hungarian Parliament passed a new act on Monday, which gives an already authoritarian government extraordinary, dangerous powers.
A British crisis of confidence Article In post-Brexit Britain, the coronavirus crisis comes amid a crisis of confidence in its political leadership. The British public is now watching the National Health Service (NHS) trying to rise to the challenge after a decade of austerity. By Julia Himmrich
Coronavirus - The situation in Italy following the EU summit Analysis Italy was the first country in Europe to be affected by the Covid-19 virus. It was also the first democratic state that took measures to contain the epidemic – as it was still being called at the time, before it mutated into a pandemic. I By Christopher Hein
The coronavirus crisis: Where the Trump administration went wrong Background The US government’s crisis management has been a disaster so far. Donald Trump has three basic tendencies, which have served him well in the past as a populist, but which will cause severe damage to the US population in this situation and may usher in the end of his political career. By Bastian Hermisson
Frankreich: Eingesperrt und alleingelassen Kommentar Das sonst so pulsierende Paris wirkt angesichts der Corona-Maßnahmen wie ausgestorben. Bars, Cafés, Restaurants und alles andere ist geschlossen, hinter den Fenstern stapeln sich die leeren Stühle. Nur vor Supermärkten, Bäckereien, Metzgereien und Apotheken stehen lange Schlangen, in einem Abstand von mindestens einem Meter. By Dr. Jens Althoff
The Pandemic, Coronavirus, and Quarantine: Women at Risk Analytics The consequences of COVID-19 for society are yet to be studied. However, we can already predict the impact of the pandemic on the situation of women in Ukraine. By Olena Strelnik