Perspectives on European social welfare: a comparative analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of European welfare regimes, focusing on the Nordic (Sweden), Continental (Germany), Southern (Italy), and Eastern European (Lithuania) models. Drawing on Esping-Andersen’s typology and contemporary social investment theory, it examines how institutional design, fiscal capacity, and sociopolitical legacies shape welfare performance across Europe. Using a qualitative comparative framework supported by Eurostat and OECD data, the study assesses social expenditure, labour market inclusion, and inequality reduction. The findings reveal enduring diversity alongside gradual convergence. Nordic regimes remain the most universal and egalitarian; Continental systems are recalibrated through activation and incremental reform; Southern regimes are constrained by familialism and fiscal inflexibility; and Eastern European systems show hybrid features shaped by transition legacies and EU influence. The paper concludes that European welfare states are evolving toward “differentiated convergence”, blending traditional regime logics with elements of social investment and activation.