Armut in Deutschland: Fast jeder Sechste gilt als gefährdet - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Armut in Deutschland: Fast jeder Sechste gilt als gefährdet - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Social decline: Every sixth German threatens poverty

n Germany, more and more people are facing the social decline. According to a European survey in 2011 about 13 million Germans were considered poor or at risk of poverty. In countries such as France or the Czech Republic the situation is better.

Wiesbaden - Despite the relatively strong economic development in Germany, an increasing number of people at risk of poverty. According to the Federal Statistical Office, this was in 2011 for 16.1 percent of the population - about one in six. The percentage increases for years 2005, only 12.2 percent were at risk of poverty, in 2010 it was 15.8 percent.

The data are part of a European survey in which more than 13,000 households were recorded in Germany alone. According to the official definition is considered at risk of poverty, those who earn less than 60 percent of the median income of a country. This threshold was 2011 in Germany for a person living alone at 980 euros a month, for two adults and two children under 14 years in 2058 euros a month. Social benefits are included in income taxes and social security contributions are deducted.

The definition is controversial , because it only measures a relative poverty. As a single in Norway is a net income of 1200 euros a month as at risk of poverty in Bulgaria so he could have lived almost princely.

Better values ​​in the Czech Republic than in Germany

Still not present the data for all EU countries, but now can say with 16.1 percent, the poverty rate in Germany is higher than in many other states. In the Czech Republic only about 9.6 percent of the people are considered threatened poverty, in the Netherlands there are 10.1 percent. Also in France, the rate was 14.1 percent, well below the German level.

In addition, there are signs that the rate has stagnated or declined in many states. An exception is next to Germany, however, Greece. Where the proportion jumped to 23.1 percent - almost one in four was therefore at risk of poverty.

In Germany, women were once again a higher risk of poverty than men - and in all age groups. Also particularly affected: single parents and their children . 38.8 percent of people who lived in single parent households, were considered at risk. Even more affected were unemployed and their families: For them, the figure was 69.3 percent.