The United States has fallen to its lowest-ever score in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), underscoring what the watchdog describes as a deepening erosion of institutional safeguards in one of the world’s oldest democracies.
With a score of 64 — down 10 points from 2016 — the US decline forms part of a broader slide among Western nations that were once seen as global leaders in clean governance.
The CPI ranks more than 180 countries on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The 2025 edition signals weakening political will, institutional strain and growing tolerance for conflicts of interest across several advanced economies.
Transparency International says the US political climate has been deteriorating for over a decade. While the latest data does not fully reflect developments since President Donald Trump’s return to office, the report flags structural concerns that cut across administrations.
Key issues highlighted include:
Politicisation of prosecutorial decisions and enforcement agencies
Alleged use of public office to target or restrict independent voices
Growing normalisation of conflicted and transactional politics
Steps perceived as undermining judicial independence
Weakening enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
The watchdog also flagged concerns around:
Expansion of fast-track visa schemes for wealthy foreigners, criticised as vulnerable to abuse
Increased support for cryptocurrencies, often linked to money-laundering risks
Transparency International warned that such trends “send a dangerous signal” that ethical guardrails are weakening.
The US is not alone. The number of countries scoring above 80 — once considered a benchmark for clean governance — has dropped from 12 a decade ago to just five this year.
Among major economies:
United Kingdom: down 11 points over 10 years to 70, amid ethical lapses and Covid procurement controversies
Canada: down seven points to 75
Sweden: down eight points to 80
New Zealand: down nine points to 81
France: down four points to 66
Germany stands at 77, down modestly over the decade but slightly improved from last year.
Denmark retains the top position with 89, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84). Yet Transparency International says global anti-corruption leadership is fading, with many governments shifting focus away from graft control.
50 countries have recorded significant declines since 2012, including Turkey, Hungary and Nicaragua
More than two-thirds of nations now score below 50
Conflict-hit states such as Libya, Yemen, Somalia and South Sudan remain at the bottom
Ukraine, despite the war, has improved to 36, up seven points over the decade, while Russia remains near the bottom at 22.
The broader takeaway: corruption risks are deepening globally, and even advanced democracies are no longer insulated from institutional erosion.
