Luxembourg: All Hands on Deck

Luxembourg recorded a comparatively high number of infections during the first wave of the Covid-19 crisis. The health system nevertheless remained fully functional as additional Covid centres were set up throughout the country for the detection and treatment of less severe cases. A hard lockdown was imposed to cope with the first wave. Crisis management remained a depoliticized issue as the political parties and civil society more generally united behind the efforts to combat the pandemic. After the first wave, crisis management became more politicized, as the opposition complained about a lack of genuine consultation and as some civil society groups were disappointed by a late and lukewarm response to the second wave. Overall, crisis management was most successful when it combined authority with clear rules and good communication, but became less effective when rules became more complex.