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This article aims to explore the relationship between digital innovations and sustainable development before and during the pandemic, taking into consideration the level of development of countries. The authors employed both qualitative and quantitative methods, including a critical review of the literature and the analysis of a database of 31 European countries, using various indicators such as the global sustainability index, global innovation index, human capital and research, infrastructure, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, country innovation performance, and creative output. The investigated European countries have been categorized into three clusters based on the level of sustainable development, and their characteristics before and during the pandemic have been examined. The study also explored the relationship between global sustainability and digital innovation. The results suggest that global action is needed to address structural factors perpetuating inequality and underdevelopment in less-developed countries. Hence, this research offers insights into the potential of digital innovations in promoting sustainable development during crises. Policymakers, development practitioners, and scholars interested in sustainable development can benefit from this research to design more effective policies and interventions for different country clusters to understand the impact of the pandemic on sustainable development and develop more effective responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socioeconomic status (SES) of individuals is related to their political trust. The higher their status, the more they trust the political system. This well-known relation is generally explained in terms of socialisation. The higher the SES, the more people are exposed to democratic values or interact with trustworthy institutions. This increases political interest, which increases political trust. In this study, we propose a complementary explanation: lower SES enhances the perception that the social fabric is breaking down (anomie), and this reduces political trust. We test this hypothesis by using structural equation modeling (SEM) on a representative survey (n = 1203) conducted in the Wallonia region of Belgium. That region appeared suited to explore our hypothesis because of its long-term economic difficulties. The results reveal that those of low SES have less political trust because they perceive more anomie in society. These results are consistent even when the alternative explanation is taken into account (the socialisation hypothesis). Moreover, the results also showed that a higher level of anomie reduced interpersonal trust which reduced political trust (serial mediation). These results highlight the key role of anomie when considering the relation of SES with political trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]