Corruption Perceptions Index 2023

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS Among many other challenges, every region is struggling with weakening justice systems and diminishing accountability for public officials. This is enabling corruption to thrive with impunity, and regions are either stagnant in their corruption efforts or showing signs of decline. Countries have improved their scores throughout the world, showing that progress is possible in any environment. However, regions with more countries that are improving than are declining are in a minority. Western Europe and the European Union (EU), while remaining the top-scoring region, experienced a drop in its average score to 65 out of 100, reflecting weakened checks and balances and eroding political integrity. Eastern Europe and Central Asia grapple with the dysfunctional rule of law, rising authoritarianism and systemic corruption, reflected in an average score of 35. In Sub-Saharan Africa, despite improvement in some countries, most maintain a low score. The regional average is 33, the world’s lowest. Scores in the Middle East and North Africa region show little improvement with an average of 38, reflecting ongoing struggles with political corruption and conflict. Asia Pacific shows a long stagnant average score of 45 and countries historically at the top backsliding. Lack of judicial independence and weak rule of law are enabling widespread impunity in the Americas, which has an average of 43. AMERICAS Score below 50 Top: Canada (76/100) Bottom: Venezuela (13/100) 66 % MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA Score below 50 Top: United Arab Emirates (68/100) Bottom: Syria (13/100) 78 % WESTERN EUROPE & EU Score below 50 Top: Denmark (90/100) Bottom: Hungary (42/100) 13 % EASTERN EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA Score below 50 Top: Georgia (53/100) Bottom: Turkmenistan (18/100) 95 % ASIA PACIFIC Score below 50 Top: New Zealand (85/100) Bottom: North Korea (17/100) 68 % SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Score below 50 Top: Seychelles (71/100) Bottom: Somalia (11/100) 90 % PERCENTAGE OF COUNTRIES WITH SCORES BELOW 50 (BY REGION) Most countries in all but one region have scores under 50, which strongly indicates serious corruption problems in their public sectors. CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX 2023 13 Embargoed until 07.01am CET (Berlin) 30 January 2024