[ad_1]
Britain’s reputation for handling the coronavirus epidemic has taken on another global effect after newspapers around the world reported what they described as confusion and internal divisions that are rapidly creating a crisis as big as Brexit for the United Kingdom.
With many diplomats admitting that soft power reputations are being forged or destroyed during the pandemic, the European press in particular is taking the time to point out that the UK is experiencing the worst death rate in Europe, revealing a National Health Service who does not have sufficient funds and is poorly prepared.
The UK also stands out as the country that spearheaded the theory of collective immunity only to back down.
One of the UK’s diplomatic strengths has long been its international defense of global health, and its poor internal performance can damage its influence around the world.
The German newspaper Die Zeit placed the UK near the bottom of the leaderboard and wrote: “In Britain, the infection has spread without control for longer than it should. The wave of infections also spread from hospitals to the homes of older people, which could also have been prevented. The government is now trying to pretend to the public that it has the situation under control. “
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung recognized the special context of the United Kingdom: “The Prime Minister can be credited with having to fight a tougher fight than other heads of government.” Britain (and London in particular) is particularly vulnerable. As a former colonial power and air hub in Europe, it is in close contact with the world. Many Britons live in metropolitan areas where the virus spreads faster. With the state’s National Health Service, the nation has also built a health system that is cumbersome, bureaucratic, and underfunded for some time. “
He predicted: “Once the nation has returned to normality, more citizens than ever before can question faith in British exceptionalism. That will not immediately take them into the arms of the European Union. But it could at least increase pressure on the Johnson government to prolong trade talks with the EU and not fail with a gesture of arrogance. “
In Italy, Corriere della Sera pointed out the national divisions within the United Kingdom, writing: “The United Kingdom is destroying phase 2. Last night, in a televised address to the nation, Boris Johnson announced the progressive – but still slow and gradual – relaxation of the “blockade”: the government’s message goes from “staying home” to “being alert.” However, the other regions of the country disagree: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to ask their citizens not to go. [home]. “
The Spanish newspaper El País reported that the UK government’s strategy had generated confusion and anger among citizens, employers and freelancers.
He claimed that Johnson had always known how to deliver his speech to the British character and tell them what they wanted to hear. “Or at least make them smile. Until now.”
In an editorial, Le Monde, the leading French newspaper, described Britain’s new catchphrase as unworthy, given that the UK had the worst mortality figures in Europe.
His news report suggested the UK itself was “fading” and added: “Despite Europe’s worst mortality, probably too late entry to confinement and a blatant lack of preparation, the British have so far supported Johnson “
Volkskrant’s Dutch newspaper also challenged the UK’s performance: “According to many, try, test, test is the motto. That has barely happened in the UK for weeks, losing sight of the spread of the virus. This gap shows that the British were not sufficiently prepared for the pandemic, despite the presence of experts in this area. The country has been catching up in recent weeks. Much of the damage has already been done. ”
Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet criticized Johnson’s ambiguity, while the New York Times said many had been puzzled, adding: “His proposals were met with a flurry of opposition, as critics pointed to loopholes and contradictions in a plan. it left many pondering basic questions like when to get back to work and how to get there. “
The Wall Street Journal, owned by Rupert Murdoch, was more sympathetic and said the UK faced the same compensation as countries around the world, but warned: “It is fast becoming a bigger political challenge for Prime Minister Boris. Johnson than Brexit. “
Tom Fletcher, a former British diplomat and great student of the soft power league table, recently wrote: “This will be a decisive period for national identities, as many of us are more in tune with what is happening globally. and we have more time to absorb that.
“The reputation of nations has been put under the microscope. Were they efficient in responding? How did their populations react? Were they guided by reason or emotion? What did you prioritize in the response? All that will resonate for years on the tables of the soft power league. There will be winners and losers. “
It’s hard to see how the UK is bidding for the title.
