the Level of people’s trust towards the government of Sweden is rapidly declining because of the situation with the pandemic coronavirus. Citizens are not satisfied with the actions of the authorities against dangerous infection, and their decision to revise the Swedish strategy to combat COVID-19 only to the next parliamentary elections in 2022.
the international research company Ipsos conducted this week a survey among residents of Sweden, which showed that on the background of the spread of coronavirus level of confidence in the leadership of the country fell by 11 points to 45%, and the support of the National Agency of public health has decreased by 12 points.
the Share of respondents satisfied with the services of centre-left governments in the fight against the pandemic, has also declined to 38% in June. Suffice it to say that a month earlier they were supported by 50% of respondents. Moreover, a personal approval rating of the Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Leuven also fell 10 points.
“the Differences are large enough that we could safely say that the real changes occurred, reported The Guardian analyst at Ipsos Niklas Cellaring. – The opinion of the government clearly took a negative turn”.
the Results of a poll Ipsos in common with the insights of specialists of the company Novus, which had previously also reported a decline in citizens ‘ trust in the Swedish government. The experts found that only 45% of respondents reported “high or quite high” degree of confidence in the ability of the government to cope with the epidemiological crisis. In April, the figure was 63%.
Paradoxically, the strategy of Sweden on combating the infection of a new type relies heavily on the trust of citizens to the authorities. The government of the Scandinavian country has not imposed rigid restrictive measures and sent all the inhabitants into forced quarantine. The Kingdom is not limited the movement of people, remained open schools, kindergartens, restaurants, bars, shops and sports centers.
Residents were allowed to assemble in groups of no more than 50 people. There was a ban only on visits to nursing homes.
the Remaining requirements, including, in particular, respect for social distance, were more Advisory in nature. The Swedish authorities were convinced that only such an approach will protect the national health system from overload and will contribute to the development of collective immunity, which will help to stop the spread of dangerous diseases.
moreover, the members of the Swedish government argued that public health should be considered in the broadest sense. In their opinion, the strict restrictions in other countries, are unsustainable in the long term, as well as can have serious secondary effects, including rising unemployment and mental health problems among the population.
However, the result of this internal policy are much higher than in neighboring Norway and Finland, the incidence and, therefore, caused by a coronavirus mortality.
today in Sweden registered almost 64 thousand confirmed cases and more than 5 thousand deaths from COVID-19.
“It was as if the world has gone mad, and all we discussed was forgotten, – said in a broadcast on Swedish radio chief epidemiologist of the country and one of the authors of the national strategy for combating coronavirus Anders Tegnell. – Cases too much political pressure became very strong. And then, Sweden has remained in a solitude.”
in Addition, the fall in trust the Swedes to the authorities can be explained by the fact that the number of new cases of infection COVID-19 in Sweden has increased rapidly after the country started massive testing. As a result, many European countries opening their borders to tourists due to the threat of the spread of the virus Swedes forbade entry until June 30. And if other Nordic countries have for some time agreed on the mutual opening of borders, the citizens of Sweden these exemptions do not apply.
as for the high mortality, the Swedish health officials explain its penetration of infection in nursing homes. This factor they called the main mistake of the state who failed to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population from the virus of a new type. It is recognized and Anders Tegnell.
“If we are faced with the disease, knowing what we know today, I think we should take something between what has been done in Sweden and the rest of the world”, – said the epidemiologist in the broadcast of Swedish radio. But added that he still believes the elected official Stockholm strategy is generally successful.
With this position agrees and the Prime Minister Stefan löfven calling a Swedish approach to combating COVID-19 correct. However, under pressure from opposition head of government has promised to conduct a broad independent review of the Swedish strategy, examining specific weaknesses.
After a meeting of party leaders the government of Sweden has committed itself to complete that review by the beginning of 2022 in order to ensure full accountability to the next parliamentary elections to be held in the country in September 2022.
