A slew of international and domestic political issues has
arisen because of the worldwide epidemic. The COVID-health crisis is an
external shock to the global system, affecting international politics and
causing new tensions between foes and friends. It will likely have far-reaching
repercussions and long-term consequences for geopolitics.
Political leaders from major countries such as the United States and China may try to use the crisis to gain an advantage in the global political order's continuous battle for hegemony.
States have been left
scrambling to gather enough supplies and resources to properly combat the virus
in many cases, prioritizing national interest and the well-being of their own
populations.
The US, for example, asked to stop supplying protective
masks to Canada and Latin American nations so that they could keep them for
domestic usage. In the rush to produce a vaccine for the virus, a type of
"vaccine nationalism" emerged, which erected hurdles to collaboration
and favored local delivery once mass manufacturing began. The pandemic has the
potential to intensify existing inter-state political tensions. COVID, for
example, has the potential to exacerbate tensions between India and Pakistan
over Kashmir.
We might witness greater entrenchment of the armed status quo, as well as local initiatives to emphasize the weakness of Indian administration in Kashmir, while political leaders in both nations focus on battling the virus.
Hardline Indian nationalist initiatives might potentially
be utilized to shift public attention away from the COVID situation. The
magnitude of the pandemic danger, on the other hand, is likely to focus
attention in India and Pakistan on the urgent needs for public health services
and the need to alleviate domestic economic distress. Politicians in countries
with supranational governance institutions, such as the European Union, have
had disagreements over new policies.
Despite disagreements during the negotiating process, EU member states finally reached an agreement on an economic recovery plan in July, despite reservations from so-called "frugal" nations about the plan's cost.
However, debates over seasonal migrant labor have fueled tensions
inside the EU, with certain businesses, particularly farmers, seeking access to
foreign workers and populist leaders advocating for tougher immigration
controls. The epidemic has also exacerbated pre-existing international issues
around people migration.
Asylum seekers and refugees have been hit especially hard,
especially as the epidemic threatens to exacerbate current humanitarian
situations.
Temporary economic migrants have also been affected by the
epidemic, particularly because of the economic crisis, which has led many
businesses to lay off workers. Even though governments have implemented
economic measures to help enterprises, temporary migrants are frequently left
out of these programs.
Some governments are also contemplating changing migration restrictions and drastically altering how they handle asylum applications, such as limiting face-to-face interviews, erecting additional physical obstacles, or even encouraging asylum seekers to bring their own black or blue ink pens.
Internal migration has also been impacted by the epidemic, with several
countries imposing travel restrictions. In a variety of ways, the public health
issue is impacting internal political conflicts.
Some politicians, for example, used the outbreak for partisan political benefit during post-Brexit discussions between the UK and the EU.
In certain circumstances, politicians have questioned experts'
authority, eroding voters' faith in evidence-based understanding.
To further their beliefs, they have often mischaracterized or usurped scientific expertise on problems such as mask wearing.
In several
nations, political division has fueled and worsened debate about the epidemic,
creating tensions between regional/state and national/federal political
authorities. Calls for unity and concerted action, on the other hand, have
occasionally served to bridge ideological and party divisions.
The pandemic offers distinct threats to state stability, potentially amplifying the dangers of political violence, internal armed conflict, and state failure.
Rebel organizations and other militant players have taken advantage of chances to expand their power, further political goals, and demonstrate their ability to administer and enforce norms.
Armed groups
operating along Colombia's southwest coast, for example, have publicly said
that curfew offenders will be viewed as "military objectives."
In some situations,
COVID- has given armed opposition groups the opportunity to ramp up assaults
and target government opponents, while in others, the opportunity has been used
to enhance claims of legitimacy and demonstrate their ability to deliver public
services and rule.
To combat the pandemic, the Islamic State, the Taliban, and
al-Qaeda affiliates, for example, have all offered instruction and local
support. The pandemic has also had an impact on political engagement. Protest
politics, for example, has been a hot topic of discussion.
On the one hand, residents in certain nations have turned to
the streets to protest government measures aimed at containing the virus, such
as lockdown and stay-at-home orders.
Protests like as those organized by Black Lives Matter activists
throughout the world, on the other hand, were a source of debate as people and
political leaders debated whether such events led to fresh COVID outbreaks.
Election politics are also affected by the consequences on
political engagement. Local and national political leaders in several nations,
for example, have opted to postpone elections or rethink voting rules and practices.
Governments have taken efforts to ensure social separation,
health, and safety during the voting process, such as expanding the use of
postal voting or establishing measures to ensure social distance, health, and
safety during the voting process.
Traditional customs and behaviors such as shaking hands have
been restricted, which has had an influence on campaign activities.
Furthermore, political gatherings pose a significant health
danger for the virus's transmission. This aspect becomes particularly salient
after former US President Donald Trump started large-scale political campaign
activities immediately after his COVID treatment hospitalization.
Other politicians used virtual rallies and events to
commemorate significant campaign milestones, such as the Democratic Party's
announcement of a presidential candidate in August. COVID- has also influenced
the substance of political campaigns and party politics. Issues like as public
health and socioeconomic and racial inequality, for example, have grown
increasingly prominent, and historically split parties have converged on more
similar viewpoints on fiscal prudence and public expenditures.
When it comes to politicians, law enforcement, and the
media, among others, TRUST is a critical component of political life.
High-profile instances of politicians disobeying their own
stay-at-home directives, or openly contradicting or undermining health
professionals can cause widespread misunderstanding and erode public faith.
The politicization of topics such as obligatory mask wearing
demonstrates how a lack of consensus and diverse approaches may thwart public
health initiatives and foster suspicion not just of politicians but also of law
enforcement authorities entrusted with enforcing compliance.
In some situations, lawbreakers have retaliated violently against cops executing the new legislation.
Members of an extreme militia were
detained in relation to suspected intentions to abduct Michigan's governor and
put her on trial for draconian pandemic policies in a particularly spectacular
instance.
Furthermore, by adopting framing strategies or prioritizing certain material as they disseminate information to the public, the media can have a compounding influence on public trust (or lack thereof).
Political trust
can be exacerbated using social media by politicians to promote disinformation
regarding COVID and associated legislation.
You may also want to read more analysis about the COVID-19 Pandemic here.
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