Challenges to European Welfare Systems

This book provides the first encompassing analyses of the challenges all European welfare systems have been facing since 2007. It consists of both in-depth national country studies and comparative chapters. Four main challenges are identified that put European welfare systems under pressure: 1) the economic and financial crisis, 2) demographic change, 3) the relation between preventing risks and opening up opportunities in social policy, 4) legitimacy. It shown that European welfare systems tend to be hit by the same challenges in different ways and that, accordingly, the reactions to these challenges differ broadly across countries. Although the EU also plays a role in shaping national welfare systems, it becomes clear that European welfare systems are by no means converging: In terms of social policy, national diversity within Europe is still a major factor that shapes current and future developments in European welfare systems.