In the South there are almost 7 million at risk of poverty. In the North less than half

Demoskopika: the poverty rate in the North is 9.9%, compared to 33.7% in the South

ROME – “In 2023, there will be almost 4 million more people at risk of poverty in the South compared to the North: in particular, 6.7 million in the South compared to just over 2.7 million in the North. Poverty is therefore confirmed to be significantly higher in the South than in the North, indeed with a worsening trend in terms of the gap”. This is one of the data highlighted in the latest study by the Demoskopika Institute dedicated to the relationship between the North and the South of Italy with particular reference to the decade 2013-2023.

“In 2023, the poverty rate in the North is 9.9%, compared to 33.7% in the South, with a gap of 23.8 percentage points compared to 22.9 percentage points of 2013″, highlights the Institute by reporting that “the index number went from 94.2 in 2013 to 97.9 points in 2023. This indicates that a significant part of the population in Southern Italy lives in conditions of poverty, highlighting a serious economic inequality. To combat poverty, it is essential to reintroduce or strengthen structural social inclusion programs and income support measures for the most vulnerable families in the South”.

On the wealth front, however, 2022-2023 was the “blackest” two-year period of the decade. The per capita gross domestic product in the North, according to the study, “increased from 32,919 euros in 2013 to 36,904 euros in 2023, while in the South it went from 17,980 euros to 19,821 euros in the same period. The gap has therefore increased to 17,083 euros in 2023, showing a widening of the economic differences. The index number went from 87.4 in 2013 to 100.0 points in 2023, confirming the same scenario as the previous year”. This data reflects a greater capacity to generate wealth in the North compared to the South. To reduce this gap, Demoskopika underlines and concludes, “targeted economic development policies could be useful, such as attracting investments and supporting entrepreneurship in the South”.