Romania scores 45 points in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index

On Tuesday, 10 February 2026, Transparency International announced that Romania scored 45 out of a possible 100 points in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), one point less than the previous year and significantly below the European Union average of 62 points, according to a press release.

At the global level, the report highlights an intensification of corruption, including in consolidated democracies, against the backdrop of declining leadership quality and the weakening of institutional oversight mechanisms. The number of countries scoring above 80 points has dropped from 12 a decade ago to just 5 in the 2025 CPI edition.

At the European level, progress in combating corruption has stagnated for more than a decade, with the EU average remaining at 62 points. With a score of 45 points, Romania ranks among the bottom three EU member states, alongside Bulgaria (40) and Hungary (40). Compared to 2012, Romania has recorded an increase of only one point, with minimal annual fluctuations.

The report nevertheless highlights divergent trends among European countries: Greece (+14 points since 2012) and Estonia (+11 points) have made significant progress, while Hungary (-15 points) and Poland (-10 points) have experienced major setbacks.

The Corruption Perceptions Index assesses perceptions of public sector corruption in 182 countries and territories by aggregating data from 13 independent sources. Scores are awarded on a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 indicates a very high level of corruption and 100 a very low level.

The data show that:

• countries with consolidated democracies have an average score of 71 points;

• fragile democracies record an average score of 47 points;

• Romania falls below this threshold, with 45 points.

  
  

Transparency International’s analysis indicates that low or declining scores are associated with the erosion of democratic oversight mechanisms, the politicization of the judicial system, undue influence in decision-making processes, and weak protection of civic space. The consequences of corruption are particularly visible in areas such as justice and the rule of law, political integrity, press freedom, and access to public services.

In the context of current geopolitical challenges, from the war in Ukraine to rising social polarization, Transparency International underscores the need for effective leadership and independent institutions capable of upholding integrity standards and the public interest.

In December 2025, the European Union adopted its first anti-corruption directive, establishing a zero-tolerance approach and the harmonization of criminal legislation across member states. Its transposition is seen as an opportunity for Romania to set ambitious goals in the field of public integrity.

According to Transparency International Romania, a realistic objective would be to reach a score of at least 50 points in the CPI by 2030, through coherent reforms, institutional stability, and cooperation between authorities, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

Among the identified priorities are:

• strengthening anti-corruption institutions and ensuring the stability of their leadership;

• updating and harmonizing the legislative framework on integrity;

• improving the quality of anti-corruption criminal investigations;

• combating disinformation and the political instrumentalization of the anti-corruption fight.

  
  

The report concludes that the effectiveness and credibility of anti-corruption efforts depend on the assumption of integrity by all societal actors, in the absence of double standards and partisan interests.

Source: juridice.ro