Austria at Unprecedented Low in International Corruption Ranking
Political scandals, a lack of transparency and structural deficits have brought Austria to a new low in the international corruption index. Transparency International is sounding the alarm and calling for far-reaching reforms to restore trust in the rule of law.
Austria has reached a historic low in Transparency International's latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2024. With just 67 out of a possible 100 points, the country fell to 25th place. In comparison: Austria was ranked 15th in 2018. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Gryffindor, CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
Austria slips further in Transparency International's current Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2024, recording the worst ranking in its history with 67 out of a possible 100 points. The country now ranks 25th and is therefore far behind other Western European countries. By comparison, Austria was ranked 15th in 2018 and 20th in the previous year.
The downward trend is alarming and is linked to repeated political scandals, nepotism and the influence of political actors on independent institutions. Experts see a dangerous development and are calling for comprehensive reforms to combat corruption more effectively and regain the population's trust in politics and administration.
How does the corruption index work?
Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index assesses the perception of corruption in the public sector by experts and business people in 180 countries every year. Factors such as corruptibility, independence of the judiciary, transparency of state institutions and access to public information are included in the assessment.
Main reasons for the negative trend
According to Transparency International, repeated political scandals, the lack of an independent public prosecutor's office and insufficient transparency measures are the main reasons for the negative trend. Time and again, cases of nepotism, misuse of public funds and political influence are coming to light. In Austria, public prosecutors continue to report to the Ministry of Justice, which harbors the risk of political influence. Transparency International has been calling for an independent federal public prosecutor's office for years, but corresponding reforms have been blocked. In addition, Austria lags far behind other countries when it comes to implementing freedom of information laws. The new law adopted in 2024 will only come into force in September and could not yet be included in the current ranking.
Experts sound the alarm
Bettina Knötzl, CEO of Transparency International Austria, described the negative trend as shameful, as reported by ORF. Austria is losing more and more credibility and damaging its international reputation. Corruption expert Martin Kreutner is also concerned. He warns that political decision-makers are not taking the problem seriously enough, while the population is increasingly rejecting corruption. Kreutner also criticizes missed opportunities in recent years, particularly with regard to the establishment of an independent federal public prosecutor's office. Concrete proposals have existed for four years, but implementation has been blocked.
Austria falls behind other European countries
The CPI 2024 lists Denmark as the country with the lowest perceived corruption with 90 points, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84). Countries such as Switzerland (81), Germany (75) and Sweden (80) also score significantly better than Austria. Particularly alarming: Austria is now one of the worst performers in Western Europe. In a direct comparison with neighboring countries, it is on a par with France (67), but behind Germany (75) and far behind Switzerland (81).
Only Hungary (41) and Bulgaria (43), which have come under increasing criticism in recent years due to corruption scandals and democratic deficits, perform even worse in the EU. At the bottom of the global ranking are countries characterized by war, conflict and weak institutions. South Sudan brings up the rear with just 8 points, followed closely by Somalia (9), Venezuela (10) and Syria (12).
Demands on the new government
Transparency International now sees the incoming Austrian government as having a duty. Before the end of its first year in office, an independent head of prosecution must be created that is separate from the Ministry of Justice. In addition, measures to strengthen the independence of the media and to better protect whistleblowers are urgently needed.
The demands are supported by various political parties, as reported by ORF. SPÖ justice spokesperson Selma Yildirim explained in a press release: “People are fed up with corruption. It is no longer played down as 'freelancing'. Clean, comprehensible politics and administration must be the standard.” The NEOS are calling for comprehensive judicial reform to strengthen trust in the rule of law.
Austria's future is at stake
Without effective reforms, Austria risks further jeopardizing its status as a stable democracy and reliable economic partner. It remains to be seen whether the new government is prepared to take bold steps to combat corruption. One thing is certain, however: the window of opportunity for reforms is closing - and a further slip in the rankings could have long-term consequences for democracy, the economy and Austria's international reputation.