BERLIN, Germany: A new global corruption survey has revealed a worsening trend in public sector corruption, with many countries recording their lowest scores in over a decade.

Transparency International's latest Corruption Perceptions Index, released this week, highlights widespread stagnation and setbacks from major world powers like the United States and France to authoritarian regimes such as Russia and Venezuela.

The Berlin-based organization reported that 47 out of 180 nations received their worst scores since the ranking adopted its current methodology in 2012. "Global corruption levels remain alarmingly high, with efforts to reduce them faltering," the report stated.

The survey also raised concerns about corruption's impact on climate change efforts, warning that lack of transparency could lead to the misuse of climate funds and prevent ambitious policies from being implemented.

The index ranks countries on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), based on data from institutions such as the World Bank and the World Economic Forum. The global average remained unchanged at 43, with more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50.

Denmark retained its position at the top with a score of 90, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84). New Zealand slipped to fourth place, dropping two points to 83.

At the bottom of the ranking, South Sudan fell to just 8 points, overtaking Somalia (9) as the lowest-scoring country. Venezuela (10) and Syria (12) also remained among the most corrupt nations.

The United States declined from 69 to 65 points, falling from 24th to 28th place, with Transparency International pointing to concerns over its judicial system. "The U.S. Supreme Court adopted its first code of ethics in 2023, but serious questions remain about the lack of meaningful enforcement mechanisms," the report noted.

Other Western nations also saw declines: France dropped four points to 67, slipping to 25th place; Germany fell three points to 75, tying with Canada (down one point to 75); and Mexico dropped five points to 26. The report highlighted the judiciary's failure to prosecute major corruption cases.

Russia's corruption score fell another four points to 22, with the report stating that Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has further entrenched authoritarianism. Meanwhile, Ukraine dipped slightly to 35 but showed progress in judicial independence and high-level corruption prosecutions.

In Europe, Slovakia's score fell five points to 49 amid concerns that Prime Minister Robert Fico's government has weakened anti-corruption safeguards.

The report described anti-corruption efforts in the Middle East and North Africa as "bleak," with leaders consolidating wealth and suppressing dissent. However, it noted new opportunities for reform in post-Assad Syria.

Sub-Saharan Africa remained the lowest-scoring region, averaging 33, while Asia-Pacific governments continue to struggle with fulfilling anti-corruption promises.