Pandemic deepened divisions in most nations, but not Singapore: Survey

Most Singapore residents say the Government has effectively handled the coronavirus pandemic, in ways that reflected the strength of the political system, a Pew Research Centre survey has found.

Only three other countries of the 19 surveyed showed a similar result. Most respondents in Hungary, Israel and Sweden felt that their country's handling of the coronavirus showed their nations' strengths.

The survey of 24,525 adults was conducted by Pew, a Washington-based think-tank, in 19 upper-and middle-income countries between Feb 14 and June 3 this year.

Overall, 61 per cent of respondents said their countries became more divided during the pandemic. The perception of increased social friction was highest in the United States, where 81 per cent of those surveyed held that view. Two-thirds said the country's pandemic response revealed political frailty.

Around three-quarters or more also saw disunity in the Netherlands, Germany, Canada and France. Only in Singapore, Sweden, Malaysia and Japan did the majority feel more united than before the pandemic.

Just 22 per cent in Singapore said their country is more divided now than before the outbreak.

"On balance, more people say their country is failing to handle the Covid-19 outbreak in ways that show the weaknesses of their political system (a median of 52 per cent) than see their country effectively handling the pandemic in ways that show the strengths of their system (a median of 44 per cent)," Pew said in the report that was released on Thursday.

Of those in Singapore polled by Pew, 74 per cent agreed that the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic has shown the strength of the country's political system.

The survey noted that Americans "stand out among all 19 countries surveyed for being the most likely to perceive division in the country and the most likely to say that the country's response to the pandemic has highlighted the failings of the political system".

"Only in the US does a majority of even the governing party supporters - Democrats, in this case - say the virus has laid bare the country's political failings," it said.

Pew said that while Singapore abandoned its "zero Covid-19" policy last October, the country has been "largely successful at suppressing the spread of the virus prior to the development of effective vaccines".

The report added that "positive feelings are most common in Singapore, where nearly nine in 10 adults say the city state has done a good job dealing with the coronavirus outbreak."