Status: 01/31/2023 06:00 a.m
Transparency International warns of corruption by autocracies and has called on the federal government to fight against it more decisively. Germany slipped down one place in the global ranking.
The anti-corruption organization Transparency International Germany has called on the federal government to make combating bribery and corruption a priority. At the same time, the organization warned against attempts at corruption from abroad.
“Around the world, autocratic states are using corruption as a weapon to assert their interests and undermine political, social and economic stability in democratic countries,” warned Alexandra Herzog, Chair of Transparency Germany. The target is Europe and Germany in particular, as the so-called “Qatargate” affair recently showed, she said at the presentation of the Corruption Perceptions Index 2022.
Germany descends
The ranking shows that Germany has not made any significant progress in fighting corruption for ten years, complained the deputy chairwoman, Margarete Bause: Germany lost one point compared to the previous year and took ninth place with 79 out of 100 points – the lowest number of points since 2014 Non-governmental organization called on Germany to prioritize combating corruption.
“In 2022, the G7 countries finally named corruption as a threat to national security. The federal government must follow suit and make combating corruption a priority,” said Herzog. In a first step, the fight against corruption should be anchored in the national security strategy. In addition, Germany must take much more action against money laundering and covert transnational money flows.
tightening of the laws
In an international comparison, Germany would be in a good position because, for example, everyday corruption in the police or administration hardly plays a role in this country. “But scandals like the mask affair or Cum-Ex have recently weakened confidence in the integrity of politics and business. Despite important reforms such as the introduction of the lobby register, Germany still has a lot of work to do,” says Bause and calls for the law on bribery of MPs to be tightened. This is also a lesson from the Azerbaijan affair.
In addition, there is still no independent lobby control. “The authorities must become much more powerful in order to prevent and combat white-collar and financial crime,” Bause warned. Among other things, Transparency Germany calls for the law enforcement agencies and judiciary to be better equipped, money laundering supervision to be improved and corporate criminal law to be introduced quickly.
Corrupt politicians in Germany too
In the mask affair, a PR manager is said to have received millions in commissions for arranging mask deals between the Ministry of Health and the Swiss company Emix. These were unusually expensive protective masks at a price of 8.90 euros each – well above the market level.
In the Azerbaijan affair, two CDU and CSU MPs in the Council of Europe are said to have received money and benefits in return for benevolent behavior and positive statements in favor of Azerbaijan.
Transparency warns of devastating consequences
The example of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine shows the devastating consequences of corruption, the organization warns: over the years, Russia has built up a network of influence at federal and state level with the help of massive financial resources, such as lucrative posts for former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder or the support of AfD politicians. For example, Russia was able to influence political decisions on energy policy and strengthen its geostrategic position.
Denmark tops again
As in previous years, Denmark takes first place in the ranking with 90 points. At the top of the ranking are countries with strong constitutional and democratic institutions such as Finland, Norway and Switzerland. Somalia brings up the rear with twelve points. At the end of the index are mainly states that are characterized by violent conflicts and in which state institutions are crumbling, such as Syria, South Sudan, Yemen and Libya.
Turkey and Hungary, among others, have lost the most points in the past ten years. Compared to the 2012 index, they have slipped 13 places. According to Transparency International, the reason is the increasing curtailment of the independence of the judiciary, media and civil society, which are crucial for fighting corruption and curbing abuse of power.
The index, which appears annually, covers 180 states and territories and assesses the degree of corruption perceived in politics and administration. The index is based on the assessment of experts and executives.