Israel scores two places that previous year on annual Global Corruption Index
Israel's score fell from 63 to 62, changing the positive trajectory observed in the previous index that showed improvement for first time since 2016
In its latest report, Transparency International (TI) unveiled the Global Corruption Index for 2023, revealing a two-place drop for Israel from the previous year.
The index, released on Tuesday, scrutinizes the nexus between government corruption and a compromised justice system susceptible to political influence.
Israel's score slipped from 63 to 62, marking a departure from the positive trajectory observed in the previous index, which had shown improvement for the first time since 2016. The ranking, which gauges the connection between corruption and judicial control, prevention of corruption through independent gatekeepers, and protection of human rights and freedom of the press, underscores the global standing of nations in the fight against corruption.
Denmark secured the top spot with an impressive score of 90, closely followed by Finland and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Sudan and Yemen find themselves at the bottom of the index among the assessed countries.
Retired judge Nili Arad, President of Transparency International Israel, expressed concerns over the shift in governance witnessed in 2023. Arad stated, "The improvement in the index in 2022 reflected governance in Israel that year, as a liberal democracy, with an emphasis on a strong and independent judiciary, protection of safeguards and freedom of the press." However, she pointed out a significant change in 2023, highlighting actions taken by authorities to weaken the independence of the judiciary and undermine key institutions.
An in-depth analysis of the 2023 index results by Arad reveals that the civic fight for the protection of substantive democracy played a pivotal role in preventing a more substantial decline in Israel's score. She emphasized the need to preserve core values of substantive democracy, particularly the independence of the judiciary, to avoid Israel being perceived as corrupt, drawing parallels with countries like Hungary, Poland, and Turkey.
As Israel ranks 23rd among OECD countries and 33rd globally, the report underscores the imperative of upholding democratic values, judicial independence, and safeguards against corruption to maintain a positive global perception of the nation's governance.