The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted European political landscapes, not by creating entirely new cleavages but by activating, intensifying, and reconfiguring existing political divisions. This policy paper examines how the pandemic affected political cleavages across the European Union. The analysis reveals the emergence of a health-economy trade-off dimension, the differential activation of economic versus cultural grievances, and the strategic role of populist radical right parties (PRRPs) in politicizing the crisis. Key findings indicate that while the pandemic created new arenas of contestation, traditional ideological orientations and trust in scientific institutions remained the strongest predictors of political attitudes and behaviors. The paper concludes with a set of policy recommendations for managing future crises while maintaining democratic resilience and social cohesion.