Poverty in Europe

Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and, trailing slightly, Austria can boast the lowest poverty rates in Europe, while poverty presents Latvia, Greece, Bul-garia and Romania with the greatest problems. By almost every measure, poverty correlates closely with income level. All poverty indicators identify single persons, those with a migration background and above all single parents and the unemployed as particular problem groups. An analysis of consistent poverty or material deprivation makes the significance of the labour market even clearer. A variety of poverty criteria put Germany securely above the median. Only in the case of what is termed consistent poverty does Germany score worse than the EU-15 average.