TIRANA, Feb 10 /ATA/- The 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released by Transparency International (TI), shows that corruption continues to pose a significant global threat, although there are limited indications of progress.
The index ranks 182 countries worldwide according to perceived levels of public sector corruption, noting that: “While 31 countries have significantly reduced corruption levels since 2012, the remainder have failed to address the problem, either stagnating or worsening over the same period. The global average has fallen to a new low of 42 points, with more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50.
Transparency International highlights that the vast majority of countries have failed to control corruption, with 122 of 182 nations scoring below 50 on the index.
The organization stresses that political leaders must address abuses of power and the broader drivers of this decline, including weakened democratic checks and balances and attacks on independent civil society.
Anti-government protests in many parts of the world indicate widespread public frustration with irresponsible leadership and a demand for reform.
Additionally, the number of countries scoring above 80 points has declined from 12 a decade ago to just five this year.
Even established democracies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, are showing declines in anti-corruption performance, the report says, as weak leadership undermines standards and enforcement worldwide.
Transparency International has flagged a worrying trend of increasing corruption in democracies, spanning the United States (64), Canada (75), and New Zealand (81), as well as European countries including the United Kingdom (70), France (66), and Sweden (80).
“Amid climate crises, instability, and deepening polarization, the world requires responsible leaders and independent institutions to safeguard the public interest more than ever—yet they are frequently falling short. We urge governments and leaders to act with integrity and fulfil their responsibilities to secure a better future for their citizens,” said Maíra Martini, Executive Director of Transparency International.
Eastern Europe and Central Asia remain among the lowest-performing regions in the world, with widespread impunity for corruption driven by close interests that dominate most governments and their institutions.
Countries in Western Europe account for nine of the top ten positions globally in the Corruption Perceptions Index. “Although ranked as the least corrupt region in the world, progress against corruption in Western Europe and the EU has stalled over the past decade. The region’s average score has fallen from 66 to 64, with 13 countries experiencing significant declines and only seven showing improvements…”
According to the organization, as Europeans face overlapping challenges, the need for decisive leadership and strong, independent institutions has never been clearer. Instead, persistent failures of leadership and accountability are undermining integrity and accelerating the erosion of public trust in government.
The concentration of power, influence over the judiciary, and pressure on civil society are driving democratic backsliding and weakening checks and balances, thereby reducing public oversight, the organization said.
For 2025, countries in the region received the following scores: Montenegro – 46 (unchanged from last year), North Macedonia – 40 (unchanged), Kosovo – 43, Albania – 39, Bosnia and Herzegovina – 34, and Serbia – 33.
/sm/
