New Eurostat data reveals that 26.9% of Greece’s population—about 2.74 million people—is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, significantly above the EU average of 21%. This places Greece third-worst among EU nations, behind only Bulgaria (30.3%) and Romania (27.9%), tovima.com, has reported.
The findings follow recent statistics from Greece’s Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), confirming the country continues to lag far behind the EU average in tackling deprivation. The situation has deteriorated between 2023 and 2024, with over 80,000 more people falling into poverty—a 0.8% increase.
Experts warn that the real numbers may be even higher. Vulnerable groups such as the homeless, Roma communities, prisoners, those in institutions, and people living in camps or hospitals are often underrepresented or excluded from official data.
Across the EU, 93.3 million people were at risk in 2024. However, unlike Greece, the broader EU saw slight improvement, with the percentage of those at risk dropping by 0.3 points—around 1.3 million fewer people compared to the previous year.
While other EU countries are making slow progress, Greece’s deep-rooted socioeconomic challenges continue to place a growing share of its population on the edge of poverty and social marginalization.
Source: tovima.com
