Κοινωνική πολιτική στο τοπικό επίπεδο, η υπο-κλιμάκωση της κοινωνικής προστασίας τα χρόνια της κρίσης

Abstract

The restrictive policies of austerity and the ensuing recession put into severe stress the resilience of social policy in Greece. During a period in which the needs for social protection have been increasing, the available resources for this type of policy have been diminishing. At the local level, a series of interventions that reflect the reorientation and new philosophy of social protection are being implemented. The Municipalities in Greece contribute to the implementation of a social safety net. Social policy at the local level operates through two key financial pillars, which complement and make up the range of benefits and services offered. The first pillar concerns costs incurred by the local authorities themselves and are part of their own budget. We observe significant autonomy concerning the choices and directions of the policy actions supported by the first pillar, which are financially backed by central government grants, whilst some meagre local resources also complement this pillar. The second pillar concerns cash inflows from the Structural Funds of the European Union (EU). This type of funding is governed by strict regulatory frameworks and rules and is directed to specific policy actions in accordance to the relevant Operational Programmes. Observing the evolution of both social policy pillars we arrive at certain conclusions concerning the model of social protection developed at the local level and we make certain estimates about prospects and weaknesses. Thus, on the one hand social policy interventions are being expanded, on the other hand however many questions arise regarding the targets and prospects of social policy at the local level. The answers provided in the current article illustrate the paradigm of social protection at the local level in contemporary, crisis-ridden Greece.