Conclusion

The situations analysed in this book volume allow for gaining an insight into different states’ responses to a situation of deep crisis in five countries. The cross-country comparison, in which governments faced similar policy problems, reveals how different decisions were taken. That is complemented by an analysis of particular situations in several sectors that were more or less severely affected, ranging from the health sector, which is at the centre of the response to the pandemic, to corporate governance, education, culture and the general performance of public institutions. The different case studies show how a variety of measures were being taken, a mix of tools adopted and the speed in which they were enacted. Still, the output reveals several mutually influencing political, institutional, social and governance-related approaches.