The Corona-Pandemic In Central And Eastern Europe – Between Concerted Executive Action And Creeping Authoritarianism

Abstract

The Corona-pandemic has executives around the world facing new and in fact unprecedented challenges. While international media attention on Europe has largely focussed on Western European nations– notably on the Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK – and their responses, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have likewise scrambled to quickly implement measures to contain the pandemic’s spread. The latter is of particularly urgency for many CEE nations as their public health care system are in many aspects still a far cry from the capacities of its Western neighbours. Although actions have been characterised by remarkable cooperation between and within executives and legislatures, the urgency and speed of the response has meant that countries dispensed with normal mechanisms of scrutiny and in some cases adopted policies and decisions that may have long-lasting effects on the structure of executive power.