21% of the EU population is at risk of poverty and social exclusion.

Omissions

• The MEP did not specify the reference year. The most recent data available at the time of the session (May 2026) was the 2025 figure of 20.9%, published by Eurostat on 30 April 2026. The 2024 figure was exactly 21.0%.
• The at-risk-of-poverty-or-social-exclusion (AROPE) rate has been trending slightly downward: 21.4% in 2023, 21.0% in 2024, and 20.9% in 2025, indicating gradual improvement rather than worsening.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostatIn 2025, 92.7 million people in the EU (20.9% of the population) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
• PrimaryEurostatIn 2024, 93.3 million people in the EU (21.0% of the population) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion.