One in five Romanians was affected by poverty last year, and if pensions and other social transfers had not been paid, almost half of the population (45%) would have been below the relative poverty line, according to the National Institute of Statistics' data, published on Friday.The highest incidence of poverty was found among people aged 0-17 years (27.0%) and those aged 18-24 years (26.5%).The poverty rate of people living in households with minors and dependent young people aged 18-24 years was 23.5% in 2022, higher by 5.2 percentage points than that of people living in households without minors and dependent young people.The acute lack of financial resources makes some people unable to afford to own goods, make payments or consume products that, in the current stage of economic and social development, represent a minimum of elements necessary for a decent living.In 2022, the severe material and social deprivation rate was 24.3%, up 1.2 percentage points from the previous year.The total number of people affected by severe material and social deprivation in 2022 was 4.594 million people, of which 46.8% were men and 53.2% women. Severe material and social deprivation affects the population with varying intensity depending on the age group and household income. In 2022, the incidence of severe material and social deprivation is higher mainly in older people up to 18 years (30.8%) and elderly people aged 65 and over (25.8%).The at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion rate (AROPE) was 34.4% in 2022, corresponding to 6.5 million people.Age plays an important role, with the AROPE indicator being higher in 2022 in people aged 0-17 years (41.5%) and young people aged 18-24 years (39.4%) and lower in people aged 25-49 years (28.4%). The share of persons aged 65 and over who were at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 37.2%. In 2022, of the total number of employed persons aged 18 and over, 23.7% were at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion, compared to 42.5% of all unemployed persons, in the same age category.The highest incidence of the AROPE indicator, in 2022, was registered in households consisting of two adults with three or more dependent children (60.8%), followed by that of single-parent households, with an incidence of 47.3%.The risk of poverty or social exclusion is also unevenly distributed in regional profile. The highest rate of risk of poverty or social exclusion was registered in the South-East region (46.9%), closely followed by the South-West Oltenia region (44.7%), and the lowest rate was observed in the Bucharest-Ilfov region (19.2%).
Two Romanians were arrested during Sunday night, May 11, after robbing empty houses in the evacuated mountain village of Brienz located in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The village had been evacuated since November due to rock falls. The locality was, however, monitored by the authorities to prevent break-ins. The would-be thieves apparently tried to […]
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or EBRD, has revised its estimates regarding the evolution of the Romanian economy in 2025 downward to 1.6%. The bank expects Romania’s GDP to grow 0.2% less than the 1.8% estimate made in February, and to increase by 2.4% in 2026. Romania's GDP growth slowed to 0.8% in […]
During a meeting on Monday, May 12, the Cluj-Napoca Local Council approved a draft resolution that imposes smoking restrictions in several public spaces in the city, including public transport stations, parks, and sports facilities. The resolution was adopted with 22 votes in favor and 3 abstentions, and will come into effect 90 days from the […]
An internal survey by Romanian Business Leaders, which does not have national representativeness but was answered by 417 entrepreneurs, shows that 62% of entrepreneurs expect to have to make layoffs, while a third expect the number of employees to remain the same. The expected layoffs are directly connected to the possibility of Romania choosing a […]
Romanian Istvan Kovacs will be the main referee for the UEFA Champions League final between Paris St-Germain and Inter Milan, which will be played on May 31 in Munich. The match will be Kovacs’ third European final in the last 4 years. The 40-year-old referee has previously officiated the UEFA Europa Conference League final in […]
Over 70 museums across Romania will open their doors after hours for the 21st edition of Night of Museums, one of the country's most anticipated cultural events. Held on the night of May 17, the event offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore exhibitions, installations, and creative activities in an unconventional, late-night setting. From major […]
