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Corruption on the rise worldwide, watchdog finds

Alexa Meyer
February 10, 2026

Once seen as anti-graft strongholds, the US, UK, Canada and Sweden are slipping into decline due to a lack of political leadership, Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index reveals.

https://p.dw.com/p/58QOi

A new wave of anti-corruption protests in 2025, driven largely by Gen Z activists, is reshaping political debate in countries with persistently low scores on the Corruption Perceptions Index.

Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index highlights a troubling decline in several established democracies. Nepal and Madagascar face mounting public frustration over stalled reforms. Denmark and Finland continue to rank among the least corrupt states, yet global scores have fallen to their lowest level in more than a decade.

Transparency International warns that weakened institutions, under-resourced oversight bodies and growing political centralization are undermining anti-corruption efforts worldwide.