In the fifth part of our diary we take a closer look at the lockdown observations of the population in a comparison of European countries – between free riding and solidarity.

There are large scale debates across Europe in general, but also locally in Germany (For instance, here an article from Der Spiegel in English) about what the powers of the EU should do first in this time of crisis. Support the others or preserve itself? Free riding or solidarity? Our data could help answer at least what the citizens of Germany expect at least. It is our humble contribution to this important debate.

Within one of our previous lockdown diaries, (LD #3), we observed that the impression of the situation in Germany was quite different to that in France and the UK: internet browsing data revealed Germans were in a better mood, lighter, more serene…

To confirm this hypothesis, we conducted a survey in which we directly asked consumers about their concerns in regards to the disease¹.

Generally speaking, German people are overall less concerned by the current situation than the other countries. Britons are the most concerned. Detailed findings go in the same direction: German people are less concerned at this time for their health & for the health of their loved ones:

But, interestingly, they share the same level of concerns as the 2 other countries, when it comes to the economy. Almost as much as France & the UK, they are afraid of the detrimental consequences that the crisis could cause for their personal financial situation:

There is an apparent contradiction in this data: why Germans are overall far less concerned about the COVID19 pandemic, but similar fears when it comes to the economy. Germany is a strong Global exporter, so maybe even if the sanitary situation is less dramatic than in other countries, there is a deep-rooted awareness that the German population knows that there is no one good solution to the crisis, but a global effort. A call to solidarity?