Which EU Countries Have the Highest Risk of Poverty? And Where Does Italy Rank?

Countries at Risk of Poverty in the EU in 2023

In 2023, the European Union faced significant challenges in terms of poverty and social exclusion, with 94.6 million individuals (approximately 21% of the total population) at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to Eurostat data.
This number remained relatively stable compared to the previous year, showing no significant improvement.

Factors Considered in the Analysis

Eurostat analyzed three main parameters to determine the level of poverty or social exclusion within the EU member states.
These factors include: the number of individuals with an income below the poverty threshold, severe material and social deprivation, and individuals living in households with very low work intensity, especially those under 65 years old.

Top 10 EU Countries with the Highest Population at Risk

The data revealed a list of EU countries with the highest percentage of population at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
The top countries included Romania (32%), Bulgaria (30.0%), Spain (26.5%), Greece (26%), Latvia (25.5%), Lithuania (24.0%), Estonia (almost 24%), Italy (22.8%), Luxembourg (over 21%), and Germany (over 21%).

Italy positioned itself above the European average, with 13,392,000 individuals at risk of poverty or social exclusion, a decrease compared to the previous year.
Countries such as the Czech Republic (12%), Slovenia (13.7%), and Finland (15.8%) reported lower percentages.

Impact of Social Factors

The Eurostat report highlighted that women, young adults, individuals with low educational levels, and the unemployed faced a higher risk of poverty or social exclusion across all EU countries.
Notably, employment status played a crucial role, as the risk was 11.3% for workers, 18.7% for retirees, and significantly higher for the unemployed (66.3%) and other inactive individuals (43.2%).

Children and adolescents also significantly contributed to the overall percentage, with 24.8% of individuals under 18 at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU.

The data emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to address poverty and social exclusion across different demographics within the European Union.