The 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International reveals Australia has slipped and India has gained in the annual corruption survey where Denmark and New Zealand have emerged on the top.
The survey where 100 is considered very clean and zero highly corrupt, Australia has slipped from 79 points (2015) to 77 points (2018) and ranks 13 on the list while India has improved its perception about corruption by climbing from 38 (2015) to 41 (2018) and ranks 78 on the list.
The survey also states the United States has been knocked out of the top 20 and will be a key country to watch in a global pattern of stagnating anti-corruption efforts and a worldwide crisis of democracy.
“A four-point drop in the CPI score is a red flag and comes at a time when the US is experiencing threats to its system of checks and balances, as well as an erosion of ethical norms at the highest levels of power,” said Zoe Reiter, Acting Representative to the US at Transparency International.
“If this trend continues, it would indicate a serious corruption problem in a country that has taken a lead on the issue globally. This is a bipartisan issue that requires a bipartisan solution.”
Narendra Modi is seeking re-election in the post-demonetisation atmosphere of India. Source: AAP Image/ EPA/JAIPAL SINGH
Denmark least corrupt, Somalia most corrupt
The 2018 CPI measures public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories, drawing on 13 expert assessments and surveys of business executives to give each country a score from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
Denmark and New Zealand topped the Index with 88 and 87 points, respectively.
Somalia, Syria and South Sudan were at the bottom of the index, with 10, 13 and 13 points respectively.
Overall, more than two-thirds of countries score below 50 in the 2018 CPI, with an average score of only 43.
Since 2012, only 20 countries have significantly improved their scores, including Côte D’Ivoire, and 16 have significantly declined, including, Australia, Chile and Malta.
