On June 1, 2026, Dr. Marius Guderjan from the Centre for British Studies delivered a lecture in Berlin at the Humboldt University of Berlin. His presentation focused on “The Political Legitimacy of the UK’s Socio-Economic Crisis Management During Covid-19.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK Government as well as the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland adopted a wide range of measures to support businesses, employment, households and individuals. However, the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic raised concerns about the legitimacy of the socio-economic crisis management in the UK and elsewhere.

By looking at the accountability of decision-making, efficacy of policy implementation and the effectiveness of different measures, Marius Guderjan reflected on the input, throughput and output legitimacy of the most important economic and social measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. He further reflected on the policy coordination between different central and devolved governments and drew comparisons with other European countries.