Poverty risk in Greece above EU average

The percentage of Greek at risk of poverty or social exclusion (27.5%) is well above the European Union average of 21.9%, according to Eurostat data for 2020 published on Monday.

More specifically, Greece ranks third in the EU in terms of the percentage of the population at risk of poverty, after Romania (35.8%) and Bulgaria (33.6%).

It is followed by Spain (27%), Lithuania (24.5%), Estonia (22.8%) and Germany (22.5%).

The lowest rates were recorded in the Czech Republic (11.5%), Slovakia (13.8%), Slovenia (14.3%), the Netherlands (15.8%) and Finland (15.9%).

Tellingly, in Greece, 31.5% of the population under 18 is close to the poverty line or social exclusion, compared to 24.2% in the EU.

In addition 19.3% of those aged over 65 in Greece are at risk of poverty, compared to 20.4% in the EU.

Moreover, 29.7% of households with children in Greece (compared to 22.3% in the EU) and 25.7% of households without children (compared to 21.6%) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

Sunday was International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17.