Cecilia Strada· S&D

Nuanced

93 million people in the European Union are at risk of poverty, representing 21% of the population

Omissions

• The 93 million figure refers to the AROPE indicator (At Risk Of Poverty OR Social Exclusion), which includes three components: people at risk of poverty, severely materially and socially deprived people, and people living in households with very low work intensity. The MEP incorrectly stated only 'at risk of poverty', which is a narrower indicator (72.1 million people, 16.2% in 2024).
• The MEP attributed the data to 'Eurobarometer' but the correct source is 'Eurostat' (the statistical office). Eurobarometer is a public opinion survey, not a source for poverty statistics.
• The data refers to 2024, the most recent full year available before the session date.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat - People at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024In 2024, 93.3 million people in the EU (21.0% of the population) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion
• PrimaryEurostat - In which EU regions are people at risk of poverty?In 2024, 16.2% of people in the EU (72.1 million people) were at risk of poverty