Fact check: What is the unemployment rate in Spain for people under 21 years old?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal that no source provides the specific unemployment rate for people under 21 years old in Spain. However, the available data paints a concerning picture of youth employment challenges:

• 17% of Spain's population is neither studying nor working, which exceeds the OECD average of 15% ^[1]
• Spain has one of the highest proportions of young people aged 18-24 who are neither studying nor working within the EU ^[1]
• Youth unemployment rates fell to 31% in the third quarter, though this appears to cover a broader age range than specifically under-21 ^[2]
• Recent labor reforms have led to significant increases in young workers with permanent contracts ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question seeks highly specific data that the analyses cannot fully address. Several important contextual elements are missing:

• Age-specific breakdown: The sources discuss youth unemployment broadly (18-24 age range) but don't isolate the under-21 demographic ^{[1] [2]}
• Recent improvements: Spain has achieved its lowest unemployment in 17 years, suggesting overall labor market recovery ^[3]
• Structural reforms: Spain implemented significant labor rule changes that have positively impacted youth employment, particularly in permanent contract availability ^[2]
• NEET statistics vs. unemployment: The 17% figure represents those "neither studying nor working" (NEET), which is a broader category than unemployment alone ^[1]

Policy makers and labor organizations would benefit from emphasizing either the improvements (to showcase reform success) or the persistent challenges (to justify continued intervention and funding).

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself contains no misinformation, as it simply requests factual data. However, the specificity of the age range (under 21) may be problematic because:

• Standard reporting practices typically use broader age categories (15-24 or 18-24) for youth unemployment statistics
• The under-21 category may not align with how official Spanish or EU labor statistics are compiled and reported
• This specific age range might obscure the broader context of Spain's youth employment challenges and recent improvements in the labor market

The question's framing could inadvertently lead to incomplete understanding if the specific statistic doesn't exist in official reporting frameworks.