(Even as cases of Covid-19 rise in their countries, several Group of 20 leaders—including some who’ve been sharply criticized over their response to the outbreak—are enjoying a bump in their approval rating. Political scientists say this “rally-around-the-leader” effect is common in times of emergency. But it isn’t universal: Japan’s Shinzo Abe, Mexico’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil have all lost popularity.
President Trump has seen a boost in polls, though it’s small compared with those of peers Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron. Will it last until Election Day in November? That’s unclear—crisis-driven bumps fade over time, though no one knows how long this crisis will last.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
