Germany news: Poverty rises to new high, charity group says
Key takeaways
- Poverty in Germany appears to be rising, with one charity group warning of a "crisislike situation." Meanwhile, Hungary's new prime minister, Peter Magyar, is visiting Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.
- The Parity Welfare Association reports that 13.34 million people, or 16.1% of the population, were living in poverty in 2025, citing data from the German Federal Statistics Office.
- The number has risen by about 1.2 million since a low in 2023, with the association warning of a "crisis-like situation."
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Poverty in Germany appears to be rising, with one charity group warning of a "crisislike situation." Meanwhile, Hungary's new prime minister, Peter Magyar, is visiting Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin. DW has more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Ehgb Poverty figures come alongside warnings that cuts to benefits might worsen the situation Image: DWAdvertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Poverty in Germany climbs to its highest level since 2020, a charity umbrella group says Figures show that over 16% of the population could be defined as living in poverty New Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar is making his inaugural visit to Berlin A man is on the run from police after a shooting in the northern town of Buxtehude Here are the latest headlines from and about Germany on Tuesday, June 2, 2026:
06/02/2026June 2, 2026Poverty in Germany rises to highest level in five yearsPoverty in Germany has climbed to its highest level since comparable records began in 2020, according to an umbrella group for charitable organizations.