ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ

This statistic presents a ranking of the ten least corrupt countries in the world in 2024. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, Denmark, Finland, and Singapore were the least corrupt countries in the world, ahead of New Zealand and Luxembourg.

Democracy and Corruption

According to the 2024 report from the NGO Transparency International, two-thirds of the countries in the world had a corruption perception score below 50 out of 100, indicating that corruption remains a major issue in the majority of countries. Corruption is a criminal offense defined as the abuse of a position of authority by a person or organization for private purposes. The fight against corruption is a crucial challenge for maintaining democratic systems, relying on fair legal institutions that protect citizens' rights through the concept of the rule of law. There is also a correlation between democracy and corruption: the ten most democratic countries in the world are roughly similar to the list of the least corrupt countries, with the exception of Singapore. The city-state is among the least corrupt countries in the world and has an authoritarian political system, with many repressive laws for its citizens.

State of Corruption in the European Union

In the European Union, the concept of the rule of law protects democratic principles, allowing the fight against the risk of corruption. All EU countries adhere to it, and the European Commission defines it as the guarantee "that all public authorities act within the limits set by law, in accordance with the values of democracy and fundamental rights, and under the control of independent and impartial courts." This founding principle has allowed the Corruption Perceptions Index in the EU to remain stable since 2016 (around 64 out of 100). However, the risks of corruption are quite heterogeneous depending on the countries within the European Union. Although several European countries have very low corruption rates like Denmark or Luxembourg, other countries have relatively high corruption indices. This is the case for Hungary, which is among the countries in the world that have lost the most points on this index since 2012. Among European countries, Greece was the most involved in corruption cases between 2016 and 2021, followed by Germany and Romania. Greece is also ranked as the top EU country regarding the perception of corruption by its citizens, according to a Eurobarometer survey in 2022.

State of Corruption in France

In France, the corruption perception index was 67 out of 100 in 2024, placing the country among the 25 least corrupt countries in the world. In 2023, the majority of corruption cases in France stemmed from embezzlement of public funds or illegal conflicts of interest. To learn more about corruption in France, visit our thematic page on the subject.