Social Rights after the Global Financial Crisis: European Dimension

Abstract

The article emphasizes the existence of the concept of "social Europe" as a social dimension of European integration. Modern understanding of social rights as a foundation for the formation and functioning of a social state has been justified. The influence of the global financial and economic crisis on the reform of the constitutional texts of European states has been studied out. The influence of the budget pact (as an independent constitutional way of overcoming crisis phenomena in the economy) on the mechanisms for realizing the social rights and freedoms of a person and a citizen has been established. It is justified that the introduction of the budget balance implies a restriction on public spending, since the only constitutional way out will be to cut costs, if the income does not cover a certain level of expenditure, and the limits of the deficit and debts have already been overcome. This implies the reduction of social programs, therefore – the possibility of violating citizens' constitutional rights to health, education, social security, etc.