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The answer is clearly yes. And this results from the European Union's own statistics. The most significant figure for the year 2020 is that an estimated 21.9% of the EU population -about 96 Million people- were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. In other words, the poverty that was wrongly thought to be eradicated is a phenomenon that could last. And yet with a GDP of more than 13 Trillion USD the EU (27 countries) is the second economic power in the world behind the United States and ahead of China (Re.Eurostat). The EU is growing by 4.8% . And as a result this continent should experience full employment. But this is not the case. And what is very alarming is that more and more young people are not able to integrate into working life. Many of the poorest countries are located in the East of the continent including Moldova, Ukraine, Kosovo, Albania and Bosnia. But poverty affects all European countries. And the poorest are qualified as people "in a situation of severe material deprivation" (Re.FEAD). They cannot pay their rent or heat their homes properly. They also can't eat their fill or pay their phone bill. Bulgaria, Greece and Romania have the highest rate of population in this situation. As a conclusion to this gloomy picture it should be remembered that financial poverty is the source of social poverty. Too many people for lack of financial means are isolated at home and loneliness further weakens these populations.

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