Greece at bottom of 2025 EU corruption perceptions index. Credit: Greek Reporter
Greece ranks 56th out of 182 countries in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, scoring 50 out of 100 and remaining among the European Union’s weakest performers. Globally, it shares this score band with Bahrain, Georgia, and Jordan.
While the country improved by three positions compared with the previous edition, its standing within the EU remains low. Only Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, and Malta scored worse, keeping Greece firmly in the lower tier of the European ranking.
Greece’s corruption index flags structural weak points
The Corruption Perception Index highlights recurring incidents of corruption connected to public fund management, including large-scale agricultural subsidy fraud and money laundering operations. These cases occur frequently enough to raise concerns about the effectiveness of control systems and audit mechanisms overseeing state resources.
The findings underscore the need for tighter safeguards, stronger enforcement, and more resilient institutional checks to limit the misuse of funds and curb undue influence networks.
Public perception data in corruption index for Greece
Citizen responses reinforce the broader picture of institutional fragility. Survey data indicates that 29 percent of Greeks believe corruption has worsened over the past twelve months, while 9 percent report having paid a bribe to access a public service.
These perception metrics carry significant weight in the index methodology, highlighting that everyday interactions with state services continue to carry integrity risks.
Long-term score path still volatile
Over the long term, Greece has improved significantly from its 2012 score of 36 points, though progress has been uneven. The country achieved its best result in 2022 with 52 points, followed by a slight decline in subsequent years.
Compared with its crisis-period standing in 2018, when it scored 45 points and ranked 67th, Greece has risen eleven places overall. Despite this improvement, it remains in the lower tier among EU member states.
Officials cite judicial reforms, faster rulings in first-instance courts, a €550 million ($655 million) court construction program, and expanded digitization as corrective measures. However, the index indicates that, relative to other European nations, these efforts have had limited impact so far.
Global corruption levels reach new lows
Worldwide, the picture is also deteriorating. In 2025, the global average score fell to 42, the lowest in a decade. A total of 122 countries now score below 50, highlighting widespread governance vulnerabilities. Fifty-one countries experienced further declines, while 100 showed little or no meaningful change.
Among top performers, Denmark retains the lead with 89 points for the eighth consecutive year. Only five countries now score above 80, down from twelve a decade ago, indicating that even historically strong systems are seeing their anti-corruption resilience weaken.