By Natalia Alonso

If left unchecked, up to 25 million more Europeans will be at risk of falling into poverty as a result of austerity measures implemented by a number of European countries. This figure, the equivalent of the Netherlands and Austria’s population combined, would see those suffering from poverty reach 146 million – over a quarter of the population – in a region historically lauded for its attention to public services. 

Austerity policies have long been seen as the only viable solution to the huge debt crisis experienced by many European countries, but as unemployment grows to record highs and poverty rates increase, the evidence suggests that these policies are not working. Across Europe the impacts differ, but all add up to the same conclusion.