ABSTRACT
In this chapter we analyse the legitimacy of the concept of equal social rights for all EU citizens, defined here as equal access for EU migrants to the social benefits provided by the national welfare state where they reside. First, findings demonstrate that the idea of social equality is supported by a vast majority in Spain and Poland, followed by moderate majorities in Germany and Turkey. Second, data do not indicate the existence of significant cleavages along the lines of socio-economic status or culturally based characteristics. Third, although the percentage of people supporting Europeanised social equality decreases in cases of hypothetical benefit cuts, a clear majority are still prepared to accept such reductions in order to uphold equality.
