【Spanish Prime Minister Warns the EU: One in Five EU Citizens is at Risk of Poverty】
On December 17, 2025, Madrid time, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote in an article published in the European edition of Politico:
Between 2010 and 2025, housing prices in the EU rose by 60%, and rental housing costs increased by 30%. In several countries, including Estonia and Hungary, housing prices have tripled. In densely populated or tourist cities, some families spend more than 70% of their income on rent, and workers in Madrid, Lisbon, and Budapest cannot afford housing costs.
At the same time, 93 million EU citizens (note: according to Eurostat, the EU's total population in 2025 is about 450 million), which means one in five EU citizens lives on the edge of poverty or social exclusion. This is not just the view of experts or institutions: about half of Europeans believe that housing issues are an urgent and pressing problem.
The EU should continue to serve as a "safe haven" for democracy, cohesion, and the values of freedom. But honestly, values cannot give you a place to shelter from the storm. Regardless, these values quickly disappear when facing such a tangible and urgent issue - the lack of affordable housing. If we do nothing, Europe may become a refuge for the homeless.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1851750404709459/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.