The latest Politmonitor study, conducted between 22 October and 3 November by TNS Ilres on behalf of the Luxemburger Wort and RTL shows that 35% of respondents think the government is doing a poor or very poor job. That is a significant increase from the 7% who felt the same way at the start of the covid-19 pandemic in a survey conducted between March and April.

Nevertheless, 63% said they though the coalition was doing a “very good” or “good” job in handling the crisis. That positivity is not shared among the government’s three coalition parties, with Déi Gréng polling at just 22% favourable, the DP at 39% and the LSAP at 38%, perhaps because the latter two parties have been represented most frequently at covid-19 press conferences in the form of prime minister Xavier Bettel and health minister Paulette Lenert respectively.

The fall in credibility can partly be explained by the psychological impact that the health measures are taking. 56% of respondents said they were experiencing psychological stress directly related to adhering to social distancing measures and the requirement to wear masks in public places. Some 14% of respondents said the pandemic had a very strong impact on their daily lives.

Young people aged between 18 and 24 are the most affected, with 70%  saying they have suffered some form of mental impact. And, in general, those of working age (18-54 years) consider themselves to be more affected than generations over the age of 55, of whom more than half believe they are not affected mentally.

As for the health measures currently imposed by the government, just 9% of respondents think they are exaggerated, while 46% believe they are appropriate and 41% believe that they are not severe enough.