Region’s first CPI score drop in almost a decade
Berlin, 30 January 2024 – The 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released today by Transparency International shows that while Western Europe and the EU remains the top-scoring region, its 2023 regional average score has fallen for the first time in almost a decade from 66 to 65. The weakening of checks and balances are undermining robust anti-corruption measures in the region.
Weak accountability and political corruption are diminishing public trust and enabling narrow interest groups to exert excessive control over political decision-making. Several high-ranking democracies, including Sweden (82), Netherlands (79), Iceland (72) and the United Kingdom (71), have recorded their lowest-ever scores. In countries such as Poland (54) and Hungary (42), weaknesses within judicial systems act as impediments to accessing justice and prevent the judiciary from effectively limiting the powers of the executive.
Flora Cresswell, Western Europe regional coordinator of Transparency International said:
“The fall of the regional CPI score in Western Europe and the EU demonstrates that European governments need to take the fight against corruption and upholding the rule of law more seriously. Rollbacks on checks and balances leave the door open to corruption. Countries must raise their standards and better enforce their own rules to step up efforts against corruption, shielding the justice system from interference and putting a backstop to powerful interest groups in politics.”
WESTERN EUROPE AND EU HIGHLIGHTS
The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
Anti-corruption efforts have either stagnated or declined in over three-quarters of the assessed countries. Out of 31 countries, only six have significantly improved their score, while eight experienced a decline since 2012.
Denmark (90), Finland (87) and Norway (84) top the CPI ranking.
The lowest-performing countries include Hungary (42), Romania (46) and Bulgaria (45).
Since 2012, only the Czech Republic (57), Estonia (76), Greece (49), Latvia (60), Italy (56) and Ireland (77) have significantly improved their scores.
For each country’s individual score and changes over time, see the global 2023 CPI page. For in-depth analysis on tr
