According to the recently published European Parliament’s Autumn 2022 Eurobarometer Survey, the rising cost of living is the most pressing worry for 93% of Europeans, followed by the threat of poverty and social exclusion (82%) as well as climate change and the spread of the war in Ukraine, both at 81%.  

Within the EU, more than seven in ten respondent Member States are worried about the rising cost of living, with peak results in Greece (100%), Cyprus (99%), Italy and Portugal (both 98%). The alarming numbers are based on 26,431 interviews conducted in October and November 2022 across the EU and complement the analyses of the recent results of Eurofound’s Living, working and COVID-19 survey, showing that most respondents in the EU are struggling to make ends meet.  

Moreover, the European Parliament Eurobarometer Survey revealed that citizens expect the EU to keep coming up with ways to mitigate the effects of these ongoing issues. Support for the EU, in general, remains high. 

Eurofound Executive Director Ivailo Kalfin believes that “the soaring prices resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated social vulnerabilities in Europe at a time when people are recovering from the fallout of the COVID-10 crisis”.  

Eurodiaconia Members across Europe confirm the critical social situation that many people in Europe are currently facing. Last year, we asked them to tell us which are the three most pressuring social concerns in their country. The responses clearly indicated the increased risk of poverty, related to the rising cost of living, as the biggest social concern. 

The results of our survey can be found in Eurodiaconia’s State of the Social European Union Report.Find out more about Eurodiaconia’s work in fighting extreme poverty here