The real scale of unemployment in Europe may be almost twice as high as the official figure — up to 26.8 million people. These figures are based on statistics that take into account so-called “hidden unemployment,” according to Euronews, citing Eurostat data.
According to official data, there are about 13.3 million officially unemployed people in the European Union. However, if we include those who are not actively looking for work, those who want to work more hours, or those who are looking but cannot start immediately, the increase in the number of unemployed reaches 26.8 million.
In terms of European statistics, this is called the labor market slack/underemployment/mismatch. In the second quarter of 2025, the underutilization of labor resources amounted to 11.7% of the expanded labor force (according to the original publication).
Countries with the highest levels of “hidden unemployment”:
• Turkey — 25.8%
• Finland — 19.5%
• Sweden — 18.8%
• Spain — 18.6%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 17.1%
• Italy — 15.4%
Countries with low levels of “hidden unemployment” include Poland (~5.1%), Slovenia, Malta, and Bulgaria (all below 6%).
