Greece is entering a period of heightened social strain, according to the European Commission’s latest assessment of employment and social conditions in the country.
The report highlights nine key indicators, from poverty and income support to housing, healthcare, and skills development, that indicate either severe stress or signs of deterioration. Taken together, these findings place Greece among the member states requiring deeper scrutiny to prevent further social divergence.
Weak social conditions and rising poverty risks in Greece
The Commission’s most pressing concern is the limited efficiency of Greece’s social transfers. Excluding pensions, these benefits reduced poverty by only 16.6 percent in 2024, far below the EU average of 34.2 percent.
At the same time, the share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion increased to 26.9 percent, reversing a decade-long period of improvement. Children remain particularly vulnerable, with nearly 28 percent facing heightened risk.
Housing and healthcare challenges in Greece intensify
The burden of housing in Greece continues to increase. Nearly 29 percent of Greek households allocate an excessive portion of their income to housing, ranking the country among the highest in Europe and well above the EU average.
Access to healthcare has also deteriorated. The share of people with unmet medical needs rose to 12.1 percent, compared with 2.5 percent across the EU. The Commission highlights that both housing and healthcare are areas of critical concern. Income inequality remains high, with Greece’s indicator still above the EU average.
Labor market steps forward but substantial gaps remain
Greece’s labor market has improved, supported by solid economic growth. Employment increased by 1.9 percentage points in 2024, yet the overall employment rate of 69.3 percent for adults aged 20 to 64 remains well below the EU average of 75.8 percent.
Young people and women continue to face significant obstacles. The share of young people that are not in employment, education, or training fell to 14.2 percent but still exceeds the EU average. Women’s employment stands at 59.9 percent, among the lowest in Europe, and the gender employment gap remains one of the widest in the Union.
Despite some progress, disposable household income continues to rank among the lowest in the EU.
Skills development falling behind
The report also underscores the stagnation in skills development, a long-standing challenge for Greece. Only 15.1 percent of adults participated in training during the previous year, one of the lowest rates in the EU. This is classified as a critical issue.
Digital skills are slightly below average, and Greek students aged fifteen show some of the highest rates of low performance in key competencies across the Union.
There is, however, one clear positive finding. Greece maintains a particularly low early school leaving rate of only 3 percent, placing it among the best-performing countries in Europe.
High-risk classification underscores need for action
With several indicators flagged as critical or requiring close monitoring, the Commission concludes that Greece faces substantial risks to its social cohesion. As a result, the country is moving on to the next stage of EU analysis, which involves a deeper review aimed at guiding targeted reforms.
For Greece, the key challenge is ensuring that economic growth translates into meaningful social progress, particularly for households that are most burdened.
