In Italy, almost 6 million people live in absolute poverty

Omissions

• The MEP did not specify the reference year. The most recent available data at the time of the claim is for 2024, published by ISTAT in October 2025. The claim uses the present tense ('live') but refers to 2024 data, as 2025 absolute poverty data had not yet been released by ISTAT as of May 2026.
• The exact ISTAT figure is 'over 5.7 million' (9.8% of residents), not a precise 6 million. The phrase 'almost 6 million' is a rhetorical approximation that — at a difference of roughly 5% — remains within reasonable bounds for political speech.

Sources

• PrimaryISTAT (Italian National Institute of Statistics)Over 5.7 million individuals in absolute poverty in Italy in 2024. In 2024, just over 2.2 million households are estimated to be in absolute poverty — 8.4% of resident households — for a total of over 5.7 million individuals (9.8% of residents).
• PrimaryISTAT (PDF report)Overall, over 5.7 million individuals or 9.8% of the total number of resident individuals are in absolute poverty as in the previous year (for statistically not significant differences).
• SecondaryIl Sole 24 OreISTAT estimates that in 2024 there will be more than 2.2 million households in absolute poverty — 8.4 per cent of resident households — for a total of over 5.7 million individuals, equal to 9.8 per cent of the population.
• SecondaryEuronews5.7 milioni di individui ovvero il 9,8 per cento dei residenti, secondo l'Istat, vivono in condizioni di povertà assoluta.