EU: half-mast European social model

i, President of the European Central Bank, or José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission? In an interview to the Wall Street Journal in early 2012, the former pointed out that, because of national debts, there was no alternative to austerity policies, marking the end of a model based on job security and generous welfare systems. “The European social model is dead!” In early September, at the conference organized by the European Employment Committee, the latter yet warned, “It would be a mistake […] to try to dismantle the welfare state and our social models.” The followers of this model believe that Draghi’s view is that of a liberal who sees the crisis as an opportunity to cut into a system deemed too expensive for public finances. On the other hand, doubt arose from Barroso’s speech.