Key Points:
- Global corruption levels have fallen to their worst point in over a decade.
- The United States recorded its lowest-ever score on the corruption index.
- Democracies face rising corruption risks due to weakened oversight and institutions.
BERLIN: Global corruption is worsening across democratic systems, with several leading democracies showing a “worrying decline” in accountability and institutional checks, anti-graft watchdog Transparency International (TI) warned on Tuesday as it released its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index.
The Berlin-based organisation said the United States recorded its lowest-ever score on the index, while the global average fell to its weakest level in more than a decade, underscoring growing concerns about governance and rule of law worldwide.
Since returning to the White House early last year, US President Donald Trump has reshaped domestic and foreign policy while increasing pressure on institutions ranging from universities to the Federal Reserve.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is currently under investigation by the Department of Justice after resisting presidential demands to cut interest rates.
Transparency International raised alarm over what it described as “actions targeting independent voices and undermining judicial independence” in the United States.
The watchdog also criticised the temporary freezing and weakening of enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, warning that it signalled “tolerance for corrupt business practices.”
In addition, the Trump administration’s sharp reduction of overseas aid has “weakened global anti-corruption efforts,” the group said.
The Corruption Perceptions Index assigns scores from zero, indicating a highly corrupt public sector, to 100, signifying a very clean one.
The rankings are based on data drawn from expert assessments and business surveys, including sources such as the World Economic Forum and the Economist Intelligence Unit.
According to the report, the United States fell to a score of 64, with TI noting that the country’s “political climate has been deteriorating for more than a decade.”
Globally, the average score dropped to 42 — the lowest level recorded in over ten years. The report found that 122 out of 180 countries scored below 50, indicating that “the vast majority of countries are failing to keep corruption under control.”
Strain on Democracies
The US was cited as part of a broader trend of declining anti-corruption performance among democracies, a pattern the watchdog said was also visible in countries such as the United Kingdom and France.
Although these states continue to rank relatively high on the index, TI warned that corruption risks are rising due to weakened independent oversight, legislative gaps and insufficient enforcement mechanisms.
“Several have also experienced strains to their democracies, including political polarisation and the growing influence of private money on decision-making,” the report said.
Within the European Union, Bulgaria and Hungary emerged as the worst performers, each scoring 40. The report accused the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban of systematically eroding the rule of law, civic freedoms and electoral integrity since coming to power in 2010.
“This has enabled impunity for channelling billions — including from European Union funds — to groups of cronies through dirty public contracting and other methods,” the watchdog said, noting that Orban faces a difficult re-election campaign in April.
Neighbouring Slovakia, which scored 48, was also criticised. TI said the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico is weakening investigations into corruption and organised crime, particularly cases involving senior officials.
Denmark topped the rankings for the eighth consecutive year with a score of 89.
Among the more positive developments highlighted in the report was Ukraine, which scored 36. Although President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government has faced public anger over corruption allegations involving close associates, Transparency International said progress was evident.
“The fact that these and many other scandals are being uncovered shows that Ukraine’s new anti-corruption architecture is making a difference,” the report said, praising strong civil society mobilisation last year that forced Zelensky to reverse efforts to limit the independence of anti-graft institutions.
