Greece ranks among EU’s lowest in social policy, according to EU Commission Report

The second part of the EU Commission's Alert Mechanism Report (AMR) has revealed concerning statistics about Greece's social policy, placing the country near the bottom of EU rankings for 2023.
Key Findings:
Poverty Rates: 26.1% of Greeks face the risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to the EU average of 21.3%.
Social Transfers: The effectiveness of social benefits in reducing poverty is only 18.2%, far below the EU average of 35%.
Housing Costs: Greece has the highest housing costs in the EU, with 28.5% of income spent on housing, compared to the EU average of 8.8%.
Impact on Poor Households: 86.3% of Greeks at risk of poverty are excessively burdened by housing costs, compared to just 8.9% in Cyprus.
Housing Burden: For households near the poverty line, 38.2% of disposable income is spent on housing.
Kateryna Notopoulou, SYRIZA-PS's Shadow Minister for Social Cohesion and Welfare, criticized the government’s narrative of "successful social policy." She emphasized that announced measures are insufficient to address the housing crisis and rising poverty.
With reduced social spending as a percentage of GDP and wages among the lowest in the EU, prospects for improving social policy remain limited, and inequalities continue to widen.
The EU Commission's report underscores the urgent need for reforms to protect vulnerable citizens and strengthen Greece’s social safety net.