Greece Faces High Poverty Risk, Eurostat Reports

The figures align with recent Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) data on deprivation, highlighting a persistent gap between Greece and the EU average. From 2023 to 2024, Greece’s at-risk population grew by 0.8%, adding over 80,000 individuals. Eurostat notes that official numbers likely understate the issue, as marginalized groups like the homeless, Roma, prisoners, and those in institutions or camps are often excluded from surveys.

According to Eurostat, 26.9% of Greece’s population, or 2,740,051 people, is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, significantly exceeding the EU average of 21%. This places Greece as the third-highest in the EU, surpassed only by Bulgaria (30.3%) and Romania (27.9%).

The figures align with recent Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) data on deprivation, highlighting a persistent gap between Greece and the EU average. From 2023 to 2024, Greece’s at-risk population grew by 0.8%, adding over 80,000 individuals. Eurostat notes that official numbers likely understate the issue, as marginalized groups like the homeless, Roma, prisoners, and those in institutions or camps are often excluded from surveys.

In contrast, the EU reported a slight improvement, with 93.3 million people at risk in 2024, down 0.3 percentage points (approximately 1.3 million people) from 2023. Greece’s worsening trend underscores ongoing challenges in addressing poverty and social exclusion compared to broader EU progress.

Source: greek city times–Bill Giannopoulos