Partners' View 2|2021 english

„
We have
to become more
crisis-resistant.”
EXAMPLE 2:
EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
The world has been at the mercy of the coronavirus pandemic
since March 2020. The repercussions on society as well as on
various sectors of the economy are not yet fully quantifiable.
Will we ever return to normal – and how will the new normal
look? Or have we reached a turning point? It will probably be
some time before we know the answers to these questions.
However, the deep uncertainty that the pandemic has caused
is already clearly visible within society. Many parts of the world
were unprepared for the coronavirus pandemic when it struck.
As a result, countries have taken very different – in some cases
even opposing – approaches to managing the crisis. This has
also added to the confusion. Ensuring stability and security is
a requirement that governments have to meet, especially in
times of crisis.
LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC
What have we learned from the pandemic? It has become clear
that both societies and economies are less robust than we
thought. Much of what we took for granted is suddenly no
longer guaranteed. Any weak points that we were aware of
have been magnified by the pandemic. These are the aspects
we must tackle in order to strengthen our resilience. In other
words, we have to become more crisis resistant.
It is vital that we identify trends and developments early, draw
the right conclusions and implement necessary changes in a
timely manner. More specifically, this means being better
prepared for future pandemics based on various scenarios
being simulated by crisis management teams at regular
intervals. Any identified weaknesses can then be rapidly
eliminated. It is also important to improve and ensure
co-ordination between European countries. Going it alone to
the detriment of neighbouring countries must be avoided as
far as possible. Different procedures at borders (such as
border closures), for example, have led to misunderstandings,
particularly in the region of Lake Constance. Open borders and
proactive exchange are crucial factors that keep the European
Economic Area alive. For this reason, it is also important to
consider regional interests. Equally, I expect EU nations to fulfil
their contractual obligations, even in periods of crisis. In my
view, restrictions or blocks on exports are not appropriate and
serve to erode confidence.
The last 18 months have taught us that there is more solidarity
than we have historically been accustomed to. This is very
encouraging and suggests that there is a good chance that we
will maintain and foster this sense of social cohesion in the
future. What it has shown me is that reliability is invaluable,
especially in times of crisis. I consistently strived to uphold
these values during my time as Prime Minister. I experienced
first-hand how important it is for the public to have a
government that takes a clear and decisive approach to
steering the country through crisis. This has a stabilising effect
on a society that craves security in highly challenging times.
„
Reliability is
invaluable, especially
in times of crisis.”
8 Main feature – Stability & Security | PARTNERS‘ VIEW