More than 94 million EU citizens at risk of poverty in 2023

ISTANBUL

The number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU hit 94.6 million in 2023, the region’s statistical bureau Eurostat said Wednesday.

The figure is 21% of the EU population, meaning that more than one in five people is at risk, according to the data.

The highest risk was in Romania with 32%, followed by Bulgaria at 30%, Spain at 27%, and Greece at 26%.

The lowest was in Czechia at 12%, followed by Slovenia with 14% and Finland, and Poland came in at 16%.

The risk was higher for women, young adults, those with low education and unemployed individuals.

Data showed that women in the EU experienced a higher risk of poverty or social exclusion at 22.4%, compared to men at 20.3%.

While the employed faced an 11.3% risk of poverty or social exclusion, the unemployed faced a significantly higher risk at 66.3%.

The last year’s figure was 95.3 million, making up 21% of the EU’s population.

The assessment of the risk of poverty or social exclusion involves factors such as income levels, material and social deprivation, and work intensity.​​​​​​​