>Having one of the highest total tax rates in the world kind of suggests it is built-in in the system. 

For sure. The trade-off used to be social welfare - but that is degrading fast. I have my own theories on those things though. 

>1,6 million final social security cases a year within a small population is quite astonishing

Absolutely! It is insanity. Yet, no one seems that concerned about it. 

>Also media scaring with war propaganda like no tomorrow, people likely do not have high hopes for the future tho have some growth.

You have a different relationship than I do with the history - but if Russia has been struggling with Ukraine for three years - are they really a credible threat? (nukes aside - as that is humanity over)