Assoc. Prof. Dr Jekaterina Navickė: Effective Social Policy Could Help Prevent the Rise of Populist Ideas

Social policy lies at the core of the welfare state. The notion of it is promoted by the President of the Republic of Lithuania and enjoys widespread public support. International organisations, primarily the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), are also giving increasingly more prominence to social well-being issues. Yet, Lithuania still faces a variety of social challenges. "We are among the EU "leaders" in terms of poverty risks and inequality," says Jekaterina Navickė, Associate Professor from the Department of Social Policy at the Faculty of Philosophy of Vilnius University (VU).

With the results of the European Parliament election pointing to a surging populist wave that tends to rise against the backdrop of social tensions, we have invited the researcher to answer some questions on Lithuania’s social policy in the EU context.

Your research interests include poverty, social exclusion, and inequality. How does the situation in Lithuania compare to the EU average?

We have recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of our accession to the EU. If we look at the relative poverty rate, which reflects whether people can afford to maintain socially acceptable living standards, it shows that the situation has hardly changed over the last two decades. Progress has only been achieved in terms of the risk of child poverty, which has been reduced by the introduction of universal child benefits in Lithuania. Alongside Bulgaria and Romania, we are still among the EU countries with the worst rates of poverty risk, while all our efforts to improve this situation have ended in failure. The main reason behind such tendencies is the very high poverty levels among elderly people. Although pensions are rising, they are still not keeping pace with growing wages.

There are other social groups – the unemployed and people with disabilities – who also face very high poverty rates, even though they may be eligible for a range of social benefits and assistance. One of the neglected areas that receives very little attention in the social security system is support for single parents, who are usually single mothers raising children on their own. Lithuania has a very high divorce rate, yet no additional support or assistance system is available. As a result, every second single mother is at risk of poverty.

On the bright side, there are some positive developments as well: the fall in the severe material deprivation rate has shown that the situation has improved significantly within the country, bringing us closer to the EU average.

What are the ways to address these issues?

Social policy plays an important role here, as it can have a direct impact on poverty rates. Multiple measures, including policies on family support, employment, social security, pensions, various other benefits, and income, target different groups and contribute to tackling poverty.

The financing of social policy measures is a separate issue. Lithuania has funding gaps in different areas, but the shortfall in social security is particularly acute. In this respect, we spend about 40% less than the EU average.

The geopolitical threats to our country have now become a widespread topic of public debate. Social stability, security, and human well-being are just as important as other factors for ensuring the sustainability and resilience of society. A well-organised approach to social policy helps prevent mass emigration, poverty, the rise of populist or radical political ideologies, disillusionment with state institutions and democracy in general, and boosts a sense of solidarity and patriotic pride, as well as the desire to live and work for the good of Lithuania.

You also discuss all these issues with your students when teaching social policy at the Institute of Sociology and Social Work at the VU Faculty of Philosophy. Naturally, students come from the same social environment as everyone else, but are they interested in such topics?

Young people come with a wide variety of interests, but perhaps the allure of social policy lies in its extensive scope and opportunities for exploration. Our students are very keen on learning about such fields as youth, family, housing, employment, migration, and education policies. A new area is eco-social policy, which concerns green transformation and is related to ecological and social challenges; it encompasses a broad spectrum of topics. On the other hand, the latest reviews, e.g. the 2024 Ageing Report, confirm that it is never too early for young people to invest in understanding the pension and healthcare systems. It is important not to lose track of pension and healthcare policies because young people start paying into their pensions as soon as they enter the workforce. Every youth will eventually grow old, and with the ever-growing longevity and ageing trends, some students are eager to delve into these socially pertinent issues.

Both students and school pupils can contribute to social policy-making. Not everyone may see the direct connection between self-governance and citizenship education with empathy, which, it seems, is the essence of social policy. But is it true that civic engagement among pupils can become a pathway to getting involved in enacting political change at a higher level?

Student self-governance, just like any other manifestation of citizenship and various social practices in schools, affects pupils’ civic and political engagement. This creates a foundation for youth involvement in our society’s issues. I would argue that this is a great way into politics from the ground up, i.e. starting small by first trying to make a difference at, let’s say, school level, your own community, and then entering the political arena.

Among our students, some used to be active members of their school councils. We encourage everyone to volunteer from the first year of study, get involved in youth organisations, join the youth wings of various political parties, and aim to address social policy issues. Some of our graduates have succeeded in making distinguished political careers, including deputy mayors of Lithuania’s municipalities and a former advisor to a minister. All of them have been involved in various organisations and activities since they started school; thus, student self-governance holds significant importance in such cases. During my school years in Klaipėda, I was a member of our self-government and, later, of the city’s student council. From a young age, these activities help develop the skills essential for future success in politics.