Poverty: One-fifth of Germany’s population at risk of poverty – THE WORLD

updated: 14:09 PM | Reading time: 2 minutes

millions of people in Germany are considered poor

millions of people in Germany are considered poor

source: dpa/AFP

the proportion is below the EU average

Ein the fifth of the population in Germany and thus 16.1 million people have been threatened in the year 2015 of poverty or social exclusion. Since 2008, this share remained virtually unchanged, as the Federal Statistical office in Wiesbaden reported on Thursday, citing EU-wide data. With 20 percent of the proportion of poor people in the past year was below the average for the European Union of 23.7 percent.

Someone is considered to be of poverty or social exclusion, if at least one of the following three situations is true: The income is below the Poverty threshold, the person Concerned has less than 60 percent of the median income of the total population. In other cases, the budget is affected by severe material deprivation, or someone lives in a household with very low work participation.

With 16.7 percent of the population was at risk every sixth German in the year 2015, poverty. The around 13.4 million people. 4.4 percent had to restrict their lives due to the lack of financial resources and goods, for example, will not be able to pay their bills for rent or mortgage, to heat their homes adequately or to Finance a week-long vacation trip. 9.8 percent of the population under 60 years of age lived in a household with very low work participation.

For comparison: EU-wide, 17.3 percent of the population in poverty were at risk, 8.1 percent of severe material deprivation affected, and 10.5% lived in a household with very low work participation.

criticized The workers ‘ welfare (AWO) in Germany were, as before, suspended to a lot of people “and excluded”. “The actual living conditions of the people have to do in Germany is less and less with the overall economic situation,” said the social Association. There is “a worrying decoupling trend”. The AWO is calling on the government to stop this development.

The Deputy head of the left faction in the Bundestag, Sabine Zimmermann said the new Figures for the “shameful and embarrassing finding for the Federal government”. Ultimately, the development was “but only the logical consequence of the Denial of the coalition in the fight against poverty”. “The fight against poverty must finally be added, it needs a comprehensive change of policy,” said Zimmermann.