Hungary Amends Poverty Stat After Criticism Over Skewed Data

Hungary's statistics office has revised one of its poverty indicators after facing criticism over its methodology. The previous data had shown improved social trends under Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government, which raised concerns about potential manipulation. The revised data now indicates that the at-risk-of-poverty rate in Hungary has increased from 12.3% to 14.5% in 2021. This revision comes after the European Union's statistical agency, Eurostat, expressed concerns about the reliability of Hungary's poverty data. The changes highlight the importance of transparent and unbiased data reporting, especially in areas related to social welfare and poverty. The revision suggests that the previous data may have been skewed, raising questions about the government's handling of social policies and the accuracy of its reporting. This incident underscores the need for independent oversight and rigorous data validation processes to ensure the integrity of official statistics, particularly in countries where political influence may impact the reporting of sensitive social and economic indicators.