The political risks of lockdown in the Netherlands and Germany: coronavirus containment measures are leading to social unrest. Watch our video to learn more. For the latest information on Northern Europe, make sure to follow our economist Christiane von Berg, and check out the economic studies.
Early this week, serious riots took place in the Netherlands in connection with the protests against the newly established “corona-curfew”. According to police reports, hundreds of people in several cities roamed the streets in large groups, attacking not only police officers and the shops, but also hospitals and a COVID-19 test centre. Around 400 hundred people were arrested during in the past couple of nights.
In parallel, a new survey in Germany showed that the sentiment of the population is changing: the latest ARD-DeutschlandTrend shows that people increasingly perceive lockdown measures as a burden. Moreover, this is the first time that the majority is not satisfied with the Federal government’s work to fight COVID-19: the percentage share increased from 37% in December 2020 to 54% in January 2021.