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Over 95M EU citizens at risk of poverty, social exclusion
The EU’s statistical office warned on Thursday (Sep 15), over 95.4 million people -- every fifth EU citizen -- were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2021, the Anadolu Agency reported.
According to the latest data revealed by Eurostat, 21.7% of the bloc’s population lived last year in a household that experiences at least one of the three main risks of poverty, severe social and material deprivation, or very low work intensity.
The number is slightly higher compared to 2020, when 94.8 million people, representing 21.6% of the EU population, faced similar difficulties, the report said.
The statement explained that in total, “73.7 million people in the EU were at risk of poverty, while 27.0 million were severely materially and socially deprived, and 29.3 million lived in a household with low work intensity.”
Some 5.9 million people -- 1.3% of the population -- simultaneously experienced all three risk factors.
Among the 27 EU member states, Romania has the highest share of the population (34%) facing poverty and exclusion, followed by Bulgaria (32%), Greece, and Spain -- both 28% -- of their people at risk.
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Finland recorded the lowest shares of the population in deprivation, with 11%, 13%, and 14%, respectively.
On Friday (Sep 16), EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told Spanish daily La Vanguardia that the war in Ukraine has "entered a new phase" and called on Europeans to "resist."
U.N. warns up to 345 million people marching toward starvation
“Now is the time to resist the consequences that the war has, and will have, for us, which can be felt in energy and food prices," he said.
"It will take time, but what's at stake is highly important," added the Spanish-born politician.
Ukraine's recent military victories in the north justify the EU's current three-pronged strategy of giving military support to Ukraine, sanctioning Russia, and isolating Putin's regime, he said.
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