Professor Löffelholz publishes comparative study on government crisis communication in Western democracies

How did governments explain their measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, encourage societal cooperation, and respond to political polarization? A new comparative study from the DECIPHER research project, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), examines government pandemic communication in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United States.

The study, led by Professor Martin Löffelholz, is based on qualitative expert interviews and a quantitative content analysis of press releases issued by government institutions. It focuses on how government crisis communication differed across the seven countries and which factors contributed to coherent and trustworthy communication. Dr. Pauline Gidget Estella and Dr. Yi Xu contributed to the study as research associates.

The findings show that pandemic communication in all seven countries primarily served informational and explanatory functions. However, substantial differences emerged in communication structures, coordination among government actors, and the role of scientific expertise. While some countries relied more strongly on communication centered on public authorities and experts, communication in others was more politicized and conflictual.

The comparative analysis also demonstrates that trust, societal participation, and communicative coherence are essential conditions for effective government crisis management. During prolonged crises, however, these conditions are increasingly challenged by political polarization, disinformation, and fragmented digital public spheres.

The contribution has been published in a Springer Reference Work and is available online: https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-3-658-47239-9_12-1

Contact: Prof. Dr. Martin Löffelholz, martin.loeffelholz@tu-ilmenau.de

Source: Löffelholz, M. (2026). Zwischen staatlicher Führung, gesellschaftlicher Kooperation und politischer Polarisierung: Die Pandemiekommunikation westlicher Demokratien im Vergleich. In F. Brand, H.-J. Bucher, & A. Schulze (Eds.), Handbuch Krisenkommunikation in der Pandemie. Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-47239-9_12-1