ROME, March 25 (Xinhua) — According to preliminary government data released on Monday, approximately one out of every 10 Italians lived in absolute poverty last year.
Italy’s National Statistics Institute, ISTAT, reported that in 2023, 5.75 million Italians were living in absolute poverty, which was a slight increase from 5.67 million in 2022 and 5.32 million in 2021. This group represented 9.8 percent of the country’s population in the previous year.
ISTAT defines individuals living in absolute poverty as those who do not have enough resources to fulfill their basic needs, such as food, clean drinking water, clothing, healthcare, and shelter.
According to ISTAT’s data, the southern regions of Italy, which are predominantly agricultural, recorded the highest levels of absolute poverty, while the more industrialized north had lower poverty rates. However, there was a faster increase in poverty levels in the northern regions compared to other areas of the country.
The demographic group most severely impacted by absolute poverty was the youth, with 14 percent of Italians under the age of 18 living in this category, compared to 11.9 percent of individuals aged 18-34. In contrast, only 6.2 percent of Italians over the age of 65 were living in absolute poverty.
ISTAT attributed the rise in the percentage of Italians living in absolute poverty primarily to inflation, which has exceeded economic growth over the past two years.
In 2023, prices in Italy increased by an average of 5.9 percent, while the economy grew by 0.9 percent. Similarly, in 2022, the inflation rate was 8.1 percent, while the economy expanded by only 3.7 percent.
