The Political Exploitation of Covid-19: The AfD as Challenger Party and the Impact on Parliament

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 824-843
Author(s):  
Barbara Donovan

The Covid-19 pandemic has been an issue ready for political exploitation, and it has con­tributed to political polarization in western democracies . In Germany, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) adapted its policy positions and performative style and took advantage of the changing circumstances in the pandemic . The pandemic situation thus provided a political opportunity for the AfD to grow its own political repertoire, acting as a challenger party . An overview of evolving party strategy and a content analysis of select legislative debates held in the Bundestag between the outbreak of the pandemic in February 2020 and August 2021 shows that the AfD behaved as an “issue entrepreneur” in the months after the onset of the public health crisis and that it used its populist critique of the government­managed response to the public health crisis to inform a parliamentary strategy of disrup­tion . The party’s behavior led to more adversarial and polarized parliamentary politics . This is relevant to the broader study of pressures imparted by the pandemic crisis on parliamen­tary governance as well as of today’s populist far-right parties and their impact on parlia­mentary democracy .

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Md. Shahbub Alam ◽  
Md. Jafor Ali ◽  
Abul Bashar Bhuiyan ◽  
Mohammad Solaiman ◽  
Mohammad Abdur Rahman

Since the outburst of Covid-19 in China, the world economy is passing in a turmoil situation. Undeniably the economy of Bangladesh is also grappled by the severe public health crisis of the Covid-19. As the public health emergency is heavily interconnected with economic affairs, it has impacted each of the pillars of the economy of Bangladesh. The main purpose of this paper is to make evaluations of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy of Bangladesh.  This study is based on an empirical review of the recent study works, reports, working papers of home, and abroad regarding economic crisis. The review findings of the paper revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic have significant impacts on the different indicators of the economy of Bangladesh especially, Readymade Garments Sector, Foreign Remittance, Bank and Financial Institutions, Food and Agricultures, Local Trade, Foreign Trade (Export and Import), GDP (Gross Domestic Product), SDGs (Sustainable Development Goal), Government Revenue and Employment etc. This study suggested that as Covid-19 still surfacing all over the world so some steps should be ensured by the government agencies of Bangladesh to mitigate possible threats for the economy.


Coronaviruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Khan ◽  
Tusha Sharma ◽  
Basu Dev Banerjee ◽  
Scotty Branch ◽  
Shea Harrelson

: Currently, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has transformed into a severe public health crisis and wreaking havoc worldwide. The ongoing pandemic has exposed the public healthcare system's weaknesses and highlighted the urgent need for investments in scientific programs and policies. A comprehensive program utilizing the science and technologydriven strategies combined with well-resourced healthcare organizations appears to be essential for current and future outbreak management.


Author(s):  
Joshua M. Sharfstein

Firefighters fight fires. Police officers race to crime scenes, sirens blaring. And health officials? Health officials respond to crises. There are infectious disease crises, budget crises, environmental health crises, human resources crises—and many more. At such critical moments, what happens next really matters. A strong response can generate greater credibility and authority for a health agency and its leadership, while a bungled response can lead to humiliation and even resignation. Health officials must be able to manage and communicate effectively as emotions run high, communities become engaged, politicians lean in, and journalists circle. In popular imagination, leaders intuitively rise to the challenge of a crisis: Either they have what it takes or they do not. In fact, preparation is invaluable, and critical skills can be learned and practiced. Students and health officials alike can prepare not only to avoid catastrophe during crises, but to take advantage of new opportunities for health improvement. The Public Health Crisis Survival Guide provides historical perspective, managerial insight, and strategic guidance to help health officials at all levels not just survive but thrive in the most challenging of times.


Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
George Daskalakis ◽  
Ashley Cid ◽  
Kelly Grindrod ◽  
Michael A. Beazely

A recent report found that the number of opioid-related deaths in Ontario in the first 15 weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic was 38.2% higher than in the 15 weeks before the pandemic. Our study sought to determine if pharmacy professionals self-reported an increase or decrease in naloxone provision due to the pandemic and to identify adjustments made by pharmacy professionals to dispense naloxone during the pandemic. A total of 231 Ontario community pharmacy professionals completed an online survey. Pharmacy professionals’ barriers, facilitators, and comfort level with dispensing naloxone before and during the pandemic were identified. The sample consisted of mostly pharmacists (99.1%). Over half (51.1%) reported no change in naloxone dispensing, while 22.9% of respondents reported an increase and 24.7% a decrease. The most common adjustments made during the pandemic were training patients how to administer naloxone over video or phone, delivering naloxone kits, and pharmacy technicians offering naloxone at prescription intake. Over half (55%) of participants said the top barrier for dispensing was that patients did not request naloxone. Naloxone distribution through pharmacies could be further optimized to address the increased incidence of overdose deaths during the pandemic. Future research should investigate the reasons for changes in naloxone dispensing.


2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (sup2) ◽  
pp. S227-S242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick A. Wilson ◽  
Natalie M. Wittlin ◽  
Miguel Muñoz-Laboy ◽  
Richard Parker

European View ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-163
Author(s):  
Nad’a Kovalčíková ◽  
Ariane Tabatabai

As governments and citizens around the world have struggled with the novel coronavirus, the information space has turned into a battleground. Authoritarian countries, including Russia, China and Iran, have spread disinformation on the causes of and responses to the pandemic. The over-abundance of information, also referred to as an ‘infodemic’, including manipulated information, has been both a cause and a result of the exacerbation of the public health crisis. It is further undermining trust in democratic institutions, the independent press, and facts and data, and exacerbating the rising tensions driven by economic, political and societal challenges. This article discusses the challenges democracies have faced and the measures they have adopted to counter information manipulation that impedes public health efforts. It draws seven lessons learned from the information war and offers a set of recommendations on tackling future infodemics related to public health.


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