Tom Ewart Smith
SPAIN has recorded its worst ranking in three decades on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), placing 46th in the world with a score of 56 out of 100.
The index, compiled by Transparency International, evaluates 180 nations using data from global institutions such as the World Bank and World Economic Forum.
Due to its low score, Spain is no longer classified as a ‘full democracy’ by Transparency International but instead as a ‘defective democracy’.
Its ranking is now lower than countries like Costa Rica, Latvia, Rwanda, and Saudi Arabia.
In 2023, Spain ranked 36th with a score of 60, meaning it has dropped 10 positions in just one year.
It now shares its score of 56 with the Czech Republic and Cyprus.
Spain isn’t the only European country facing setbacks.
The UK also received troubling news, maintaining a score of 71, its lowest in a decade and a decline of 11 points since 2017.
The European CPI average has declined for the second consecutive year, dropping from 65 to 64 out of 100.
Of the 31 European countries assessed, only six improved their scores, six remained the same, and 19 experienced a decline.
Denmark remains the least corrupt nation, topping the CPI rankings with a score of 90. Meanwhile, Russia holds the worst position in Europe, ranking 154th globally with a score of 22.
According to the World Bank, Spain’s control of corruption, government efficiency, regulatory quality, and rule of law have nearly halved between 2000 and 2023.
Transparency International has noted that Spain ‘continues to lack a national anti-corruption strategy’ to counter incidents such as the Koldo case, the Begoña case, and the Jose Luis Abalos fiasco.
The organization points to the elimination of anti-fraud agencies, such as in the Balearic Islands, and the weakening of the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency.
It declares that ‘only four autonomous communities and two cities have operational anti-fraud agencies’.
The report also highlights climate change policies as a key factor in rising corruption across Europe.
Transparency International suggests that there are ‘gaps in integrity frameworks’ when governments address environmental issues, leading to policies being influenced by corporate lobbyists rather than public interest.
Recent natural disasters, such as flooding in Spain, have further exposed these vulnerabilities.
