POVERTY GRIPS 21% OF EU POPULATION IN 2024, NEW FIGURES REVEAL

Wed 22 October 2025:

Over 20% of the EU population faced poverty or social exclusion risks in 2024, per Eurostat’s Friday report. Five regions had rates over twice the EU average, with French Guiana topping the list at 59.5%, followed by Calabria (48.8%) and Campania (43.5%) in southern Italy, and Spain’s Melilla and Ceuta, each with over 40% of residents at risk.

In total, 25 regions saw at least a third of their population at risk of poverty or social exclusion. These were mainly concentrated in Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy and Romania, as well as in France’s outermost territories.

Soaring energy, food, and housing costs—exacerbated by post-COVID recovery and the Ukraine war—outpace wages, hitting children (24% at risk) and renters hardest.

__________________________________________________________________________

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

__________________________________________________________________________

The group also included two western European urban regions – the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium and Bremen in Germany.

At the other end of the scale, 26 regions recorded poverty or social exclusion rates below 12.5%. These included seven regions in northern and central Italy, among them the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, bordering Austria, which had the lowest rate in the EU – 6.6%.

Six out of eight regions in Czechia reported rates below the same threshold, including Jihozápad, which had the bloc’s third-lowest rate at 8.8%.

Other regions with relatively low rates included three regions in northern Belgium (Vlaams Gewest), three in Austria, two in Poland, the northwest Hungarian region of Közép-Dunántúl, as well as the capital regions of Croatia, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Poverty in EU countries, affecting over 93 million people (21% of the population) in 2024, stems from multiple factors. High unemployment and low work intensity, especially in southern and eastern regions, trap families in low-wage cycles.

Inflation and rising costs for energy, food, and housing—worsened by post-COVID recovery and the Ukraine war—hit vulnerable groups like children (24% at risk) and renters hardest. Low education levels (34.5% risk for low-skilled) and skills gaps limit job access in tech-driven economies, particularly in rural or deindustrialized areas like southern Italy.

Underfunded welfare systems and austerity measures leave migrants (45.5% risk), disabled people, and single parents exposed. Regional disparities, with rates like 59% in French Guiana versus 11% in Czechia, reflect uneven infrastructure and inequality.

Bolder investments in jobs, education, and social protection are critical to meet the EU’s 2030 goal of lifting 15 million from poverty.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22