How corrupted it target
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Executive summary
Corruption remains a pervasive global problem: Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index shows a global average of 43 with over two‑thirds of countries scoring below 50 and 148 countries stagnant or worse since 2012 [1]. In 2025 anti‑corruption efforts intensified — from UN COSP11 meetings in Doha (15–19 Dec) to new EU criminal‑law minimum standards and national strategies targeting illicit finance — but sources show mixed progress and continued public anger that has driven widespread protests [2] [3] [4] [5].
1. Corruption’s scale: numbers and trends
Transparency International’s 2024 CPI frames the problem: the global mean has stagnated at 43, only 32 countries have significantly reduced corruption since 2012, and 148 have stayed the same or worsened — indicating large‑scale, persistent corruption that touches billions and has real social and environmental costs [1].
2. Where the world is trying to push back
Diplomatic and legal levers were most visible in late‑2025: the UN’s Conference of the States Parties (COSP11) meets in Doha on 15–19 December to drive UNCAC implementation and policy decisions [2]. The EU reached a provisional deal on harmonised minimum criminal standards for corruption offences on 2 December, widening criminalisation across bribery, trading in influence and related offences [3]. National strategies — for example the UK’s 2025 anti‑corruption strategy backed by new funding and specialised policing — target corrupt networks, professional enablers and dirty money [4] [6].
3. Civil society and watchdog roles: more scrutiny, uneven results
Civil society is increasingly involved in UNCAC review cycles and parallel reporting to highlight good practices and gaps, with the UNCAC Coalition publishing parallel reports in 2025 and fostering CSO engagement in countries like Mongolia [7]. Yet domestic watchdogs and commissions show uneven output: the New York Times reported a New Jersey watchdog that in 2025 “did not issue a single investigatory report,” a reminder that institutional presence alone is not proof of impact [8].
4. Public reaction: protests and political fallout
Anger over corruption fuelled many of the global protests recorded in 2025, helping sustain movements in Serbia, Georgia and others; Carnegie’s global protest tracker logs anti‑corruption demonstrations in dozens of countries and links corruption to the broader wave of youth‑led unrest [5]. Transparency International and other NGOs note that high‑profile corruption scandals — such as stalled flood control projects cited in the Philippines — directly affect growth forecasts and public trust [9] [10].
5. Financial and systemic vulnerabilities enabling corruption
Reports emphasise that corruption interlocks with illicit finance and professional enablers: wealthy jurisdictions and service providers can shelter illicit gains even where CPI scores are high [1]. Moody’s and other observers warn that corruption amplifies systemic risk — from weakened public services to destabilisation — and that closing loopholes in legal and financial services is central to reducing flows [11] [9].
6. Enforcement dynamics and geopolitical context
Enforcement priorities shifted in 2025: the US DOJ resumed targeted FCPA actions after a temporary pause, and international cooperation intensified — the UK noted over 210 international engagements and new MOUs to bolster information sharing [12] [4]. Yet sources also show political tensions over oversight: EU harmonisation and national strategies reflect consensus on tougher rules, but implementation and political will vary by jurisdiction [3] [4].
7. Where progress is visible — and where it is not
Progress appears in rule‑making, increased funding and greater civil‑society participation in UNCAC reviews [7] [2] [4]. But the CPI data demonstrates broad stagnation and that many countries lack effective enforcement or institutional follow‑through; available sources do not provide a comprehensive list of governments that improved enforcement in 2025 beyond the examples cited [1] [7].
8. Bottom line and implications for stakeholders
The late‑2025 picture is mixed: policymakers strengthened frameworks (UN, EU, national strategies) and civil society pressed for accountability, but global indicators show little aggregate improvement and wide variance in enforcement and outcomes [2] [3] [1]. For reformers the clear priorities are: hardening financial transparency and closing enabler loopholes, resourcing independent investigators, and translating international agreements into domestic prosecutions and asset recovery [4] [1] [9].
Limitations: this analysis draws only on the provided reporting; it does not include country‑level enforcement data beyond the cited items and does not claim knowledge of developments not mentioned in these sources [7] [2] [3] [4] [1] [5].