Greece Tops EU Rankings in Subjective Poverty Among the Low-Educated

Greece has emerged as the European Union country with the highest share of subjective poverty among individuals with low education levels, according to 2023 data.

A staggering 81.8% of Greeks with education levels corresponding to ISCED 0-2 (lower secondary or less) considered themselves poor. This figure far exceeds the EU average of 28.8% and highlights the deep socioeconomic disparities linked to education in the country.

Following Greece, Bulgaria (60.5%) and Slovakia (58.4%) reported the next highest subjective poverty rates among those with low educational attainment. At the other end of the spectrum, Finland (7.9%), the Netherlands (11.7%), and Luxembourg (12.3%) reported the lowest rates in this demographic.

Across the EU, subjective poverty rates decline significantly with higher levels of education. In 2023: – Low education levels (ISCED 0-2): 28.8% felt poor, down slightly from 29.5% in 2022. – Medium education levels (ISCED 3-4): 18.5%, up marginally from 18.0% in 2022. – High education levels (ISCED 5-8): 9.4%, a small rise from 9.2% in 2022.

The disparities are stark: individuals with low education levels are more than three times as likely to perceive themselves as poor compared to those with higher education.

Greece exemplifies the steep correlation between education and poverty. While its rate for low-educated individuals is the EU’s highest, the country also experiences one of the largest gaps in subjective poverty rates between educational groups. The EU average for this gap is significant, with notable differences observed in: – Bulgaria: 43.9 percentage points (pp) difference between low- and high-educated groups. – Slovakia: 43.2 pp. – Hungary: 37.8 pp.

By contrast, countries like Finland (3.3 pp), the Netherlands (7.3 pp), and Sweden (7.7 pp) showcase narrower gaps, indicating less pronounced socioeconomic disparities.

Finland stands out as the only EU country where subjective poverty was slightly higher (8.6%) among individuals with medium education levels than among those with low education levels (7.9%).

Source: pagenews.gr