Never rely on the government for help. That was your friends first mistake.
Discussion
He's a normal person and he thought that his social security contributions and by being a good citizen would cover his butt if every anything would happen. He also had that job for 6 years. Unfortunately many people still haven't woken up to what's happening around them.
His tax money, if anything like the United States, goes to foreign nationals in his country illegally (illegal aliens). Sad truth.
That's precisely what's happening. The EU has spent €50 billion on their war efforts just in the last year while the social and economical infrastructure within the EU is basically falling apart.