Comparison of European Union Countries Using Poverty and Social Exclusion Indicators
Comparison of European Union Countries Using Poverty and Social Exclusion Indicators

Summary/Abstract: This paper analyses European Union countries based on indicators related to poverty and social exclusion – specifically, the at-risk-of-poverty rate, the severe material and social deprivation rate, and the very low work intensity rate. The aim of the paper is to rank the countries from best to worst according to these indicators and to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact. The analyzed period includes the year before the pandemic (2019) and the year after the pandemic (2023). Simple multidimensional comparison methods will be used to rank the countries, including the ranking method, the scoring method, the standardized variable method, and the distance from a fictional object method. In both analyzed years, the Czech Republic ranked the highest, followed by Slovenia and Austria. The last-ranked countries were Bulgaria, Greece and Spain. The formulated hypothesis – that the level of poverty and social exclusion in EU countries was worse in 2023 compared to 2019 was not confirmed.

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