Aggregate level and determining factors of social exclusion in twelve European countries

There has been a shift in the public discourse of many EU countries from 'poverty' to 'social exclusion'. This article treats chronic cumulative disadvantage as a proxy for 'social exclusion' and provides an empirical application using data from the ECHP. Social exclusion appears to be more widespread in Southern European countries with relatively underdeveloped welfare states and the countries associated with the 'Liberal' welfare state regime. The results of multivariate analysis demonstrate that in most countries, lack of full-time employment, low educational qualifications, lone parenthood, non-EU citizenship and bad health are positively and significantly associated with increased risk of social exclusion. In contrast, the effect of being an elderly citizen living alone or a member of an elderly couple is found to be negatively associated with the risk of social exclusion in Northern but positively in Southern Europe. Finally, country and welfare regime effects turn out to be significant in explaining the probability of social exclusion.