Transparency International released today, Tuesday 10 February, the results of the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which measures perceived public sector corruption worldwide.
In the 2025 index, Syria ranked 172nd out of 182 countries and territories, scoring 15 points, placing it tenth among the worst performers.
Syria saw a slight improvement compared to 2024, when it ranked fourth from the bottom with 12 points.
Transparency International said most countries with the lowest CPI scores are fragile states affected by conflict.
The organization added that corruption has worsened globally, including in established democracies, amid declining leadership. The data showed a concerning downturn among democracies, which are typically stronger in combating corruption than authoritarian regimes or weak democracies.
The CPI data pointed to stagnation or decline in several democracies, including the United States (29th, 64 points), Canada (16th, 75 points), and New Zealand (4th, 81 points). In Europe, the United Kingdom ranked 20th (70 points), France 27th (66 points), and Sweden 6th (80 points).
Transparency International said 2025 reflected a broader pattern of stagnation or regression over much of the past decade in some countries, including Nepal (109th, 34 points) and Madagascar (148th, 25 points).
The organization warned that the lack of bold leadership in the global fight against corruption is weakening international anti-corruption efforts and risks easing pressure for reforms in several countries.
Denmark maintained the highest CPI score for the eighth consecutive year with 89 points, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84).
A total of 31 countries recorded significant improvement, including Estonia (12th, 76 points), South Korea (31st, 63 points), and Seychelles (24th, 68 points). Transparency International attributed these gains to reform momentum, stronger oversight institutions, broad political consensus, and other factors including digitizing public services, professionalizing the civil service, and reinforcing regional and global governance standards.
A decline in anti-corruption efforts
Transparency International stressed that high CPI scores do not mean a country is free of corruption. It noted that many top scoring countries can enable corruption in other countries by facilitating the laundering and cross border transfer of illicit proceeds, an area the CPI does not cover.
It cited, among examples, Switzerland (6th, 80 points) and Singapore (3rd, 84 points), which score highly on the index but have faced scrutiny over facilitating illicit financial flows.
The CPI covers 182 countries and territories, based on perceived levels of public sector corruption, on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The global average in 2025 stood at 42 out of 100, its lowest level in more than a decade, according to Transparency International.
The organization said the vast majority of countries have failed to control corruption, with more than two thirds of countries (122 out of 182) scoring below 50.
About the Corruption Perceptions Index
The Corruption Perceptions Index, created in 1995, is considered the leading global indicator of public sector corruption. It draws on 13 external data sources, including the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting firms, and think tanks. CPI scores reflect the views of experts and businesspeople.
The CPI’s calculation methodology is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains robust and consistent, with the latest major review conducted by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in 2017. All CPI scores since 2012 are comparable year to year.
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