Overview
- EAPN reports 34.2% of residents in Castilla-La Mancha live in poverty or social exclusion, with child poverty at 41% and 51.5% of families struggling to make ends meet, including an estimated 100,000 children without a decent breakfast each school day.
- Carlos Susías of EAPN says GDP growth has not translated into lower poverty and identifies housing costs, job quality and insufficient family care policies as key drivers.
- The Cortes debate turned confrontational as PP leader Paco Núñez blamed prolonged socialist rule for the figures and drew an unfavorable comparison with Bulgaria.
- Social Welfare Minister Bárbara García Torijano defended the record, saying over 70% of the regional budget goes to social spending and citing a 5.8% drop in severe poverty over the past decade.
- The regional government said it will roll out a new anti-poverty strategy with 120 measures, while EAPN urged steps such as awareness campaigns, simple reporting channels, tougher penalties for aporophobia, free legal and psychological support, and hiring incentives for Roma people.