Italy, at the end of 2023 there were 170 thousand more citizens in economic distress

Brussels – In Italy, the number of people undergoing economic difficulty is increasing. An increasing part of the population struggles to face unexpected expenses, keep their homes warm, and replace household appliances. In short, many fight to have a decent life. In 2023, compared with 2022, about 170 thousand more Italians struggled to pay bills and meet deadlines, bringing the total number to about 2.8 million men and women in a condition that Eurostat defines as severe material and social deprivation.

Data in hand, at the end of 2022, there were 2,613,000 people in distress or hardship, a figure that grew to 2,788,000 at the end of 2023. With this increase, Italy ranks fifth in the EU in terms of the absolute number of distressed citizens. People are struggling more in Germany (5.8 million in serious deprivation), France (4.3 million), Spain (4.2 million), and Romania (3.7 million).

What stands out is not only the renewed increase in hardship in the country but also the generalized trend. In 2023, the European Statistical Office notes, 6.8 percent of the EU population faced severe material and social deprivation. “The share increased slightly compared to 2022 (6.7 percent)” but grew more markedly when looking at the figure in absolute terms. In one year alone, the EU lost nearly a million men and women from the zone of economic security. A total of 782,000 people are struggling to get by. From 28.5 million struggling Europeans, the number has risen to 29.2 million.