Calabria third-top region in EU for risk of poverty
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Calabria has emerged as the European Union’s third-most affected region for risk of poverty, according to new figures released Monday by Eurostat. The data point to a structural challenge that, despite longstanding policy efforts, continues to weigh heavily on parts of southern Europe.
Eurostat reported that 37.2% of residents in Calabria faced the risk of poverty in 2023. Only French Guyane, at 53.3%, and Spain’s Ciudad de Melilla, at 41.4%, registered higher levels. These figures suggest a pattern that policymakers have struggled to reverse over successive cycles of investment and reform.
Several other Italian regions also posted elevated indicators. Campania (35.5%), Sicily (35.3%), Puglia (30.9%), Sardinia (25.7%), Molise (25%), Basilicata (23.6%) and even Lazio (21.8%) remained above the EU’s broader averages. The persistence of such disparities raises familiar questions about the effectiveness of cohesion funding and the pace of economic convergence.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the autonomous province of Bolzano recorded an at-risk-of-poverty rate of just 5.9%, underscoring the enduring divide between Italy’s northern and southern regions.
