(Dis)Satisfaction with life among statuses, institutions and European macro-regions?

Could it be, life satisfaction, reduced to socio-economic status and evaluations of institutions in resident societies, by the main countries in the regions of the European Union? We asked the question using 2024 Eurobarometer survey data, in a multilevel analysis. The answer is a positive one. It supports the view that there are significant patterns that differentiate subjective well-being by macroregions, countries and categories of social status. At one extreme, dominated by life discontent, is the life in Romania and Bulgaria, which is mainly structured by dissatisfaction with public institutions. At the other extreme are the Nordic countries (Finland, Denmark, Slovakia and Ireland) where high life satisfaction is mainly supported by higher education, income and subjective social classes. Central-East, South, and West macroregions of the European Union have patterns of life that are between the two extremes. The finding is an important one, pointing out new possibilities for theory construction in the area. Subjective well-being could likely be explained by factors related to social stratification and institutional culture. Age, gender, and residence type are control variables at the individual level. Even so, country effects on subjective well-being are still present, validating the analysis. Multiple regression and factor analysis are used to analyse the data. An approach in time, by comparing different periods and well-specified models, could support or nuance the results of the current analysis.