Study: Corruption levels linked to health of democracies

Countries like Hungary and Turkey are growing more corrupt as they become more autocratic, and threats to the American system of checks and balances have knocked the US out of the top 20 "cleanest" countries, according to a closely watched annual survey released Tuesday.

Watchdog group Transparency International said its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2018 showed more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50, on its scale where 100 is very clean and zero is very corrupt.

With a score of 71, the US lost four points over 2017 and dropped out of the top 20 nations for the first time since 2011.

"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 balance, as well as an erosion of ethical norms at the highest levels of power," the Berlin-based organization said.

"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."
"Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and, as we have seen in many countries, where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage."