Eastern Macedonia and Thrace faces housing affordability and employment challenges, opposition group says
Greece’s Eastern Macedonia and Thrace region recorded a housing cost overburden rate of 33.9% in 2025, according to figures cited by the Independent United Initiative (AEP), a regional political grouping that has called on the regional government to address housing affordability, long-term unemployment and limited opportunities for young people.
In a statement submitted ahead of the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Regional Council’s accountability session, the group cited Eurostat data to criticise the regional administration’s development priorities and demand greater transparency over the use of European funds.
The group said the region’s reported housing cost overburden rate was significantly higher than the EU average of 7.7%. It also raised concerns about long-term unemployment, youth employment, skills development and the region’s shrinking population.
The figures and their interpretation were presented by the political grouping; they have not been independently verified for this report.
HOUSING COSTS AND LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT UNDER SCRUTINY
According to the statement, 33.9% of households in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace spend more than 40% of their disposable income on housing costs, including rent, mortgage payments and utility bills. The group described the reported figure as the highest in the EU in 2025 and called for targeted housing support measures.
The statement also cited an overall unemployment rate of 10.7%, with 50.2% of unemployed people reportedly out of work for more than 12 months.
The group questioned how European funding was being allocated while long-term unemployment remained high and called on the regional administration to explain what measures it planned to introduce to improve employment prospects.
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AND SKILLS GAPS RAISE CONCERNS
The AEP statement reported a youth unemployment rate of 23.8% among people aged 15–24. It also said that 10.6% of young people were not in employment, education or training (NEET).
The group highlighted a gender gap in part-time employment, citing rates of 11.46% among women and 3.66% among men. It also pointed to low participation in lifelong learning, reported at 4.6%, and said information and communication technology accounted for just 1% of employment in the region, equivalent to approximately 1,500 workers.
According to the statement, public administration, education and health together accounted for 26% of employment, raising questions about the diversification of the regional economy and the development of higher-skilled jobs.
CALL FOR REGIONAL SOCIOECONOMIC MONITORING
The group urged the regional government to explain how it intended to respond to the reported housing and employment challenges and to set out a plan for young people.
It also asked when the region would establish a proposed Observatory of Socioeconomic Indicators, with updates to be provided to the Regional Council every six months.
The statement further cited a regional population of 565,195 and an old-age dependency ratio of 38.1%, arguing that demographic change added to the challenges facing the region.
OPPOSITION QUESTIONS SPENDING PRIORITIES
The Independent United Initiative criticised what it described as an excessive focus on promotional trips, conferences and office openings in Brussels, arguing that these activities did not directly address housing costs or create quality jobs.
The statement was signed by Stergios Iliopoulos and Dimitris Limberakis on behalf of the group. It called for greater transparency, practical policy measures and a development strategy focused on residents’ needs.
The regional administration’s response to the group’s claims was not included in the material provided.
