In recent decades, the increase in life expectancy, changes in the labour market, and the economic and financial crisis have impaired the sustainability of pension systems in many developed countries. This has lead to the approval of reforms that modify pension systems in the direction of a reduction in the number and generosity of pension benefits, as well as a reduction of the length of the period of receipt. In Italy, given a particularly severe situation - enormous public debt, economic stagnation and demographic decline - a strict law was passed that radically reformed the Italian pension system. This study aims to describe the opinions of European citizens about aging and pensions, based on sets of heterogeneous national and international data (survey Aging, 2011, Eurobarometer surveys, 2001, 2004 and 2012), and to identify the reasons behind opinions that reject or accept the pension reforms.