Israel's Corruption Perception Index Drops in 2023 - Concerns Raised Over Weakening Democracy

In the recently released Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for the year 2023, Israel has experienced a notable drop, falling to 33rd place with a score of 62. This comes after a positive shift in 2022, where Israel climbed five places with a score of 63, compared to the lowest score of 59 in 2021.

The Israel International Transparency Association - Shabil warns against the return of a negative trend in the perception of corruption within the State of Israel. Retired Judge Neely Arad, Chairwoman of the International Transparency Association Israel - Shabil, expresses deep concern about the potential social and economic consequences of this decline.

Arad emphasizes the importance of maintaining Israel's national resilience, especially during times of conflict, and stresses the need for strict adherence to democratic principles, rejecting any forms of governmental corruption. She points out that in 2023, there has been a shift in the actions of government officials, specifically targeting the independence of the judicial system and undermining the status of gatekeepers.

Despite the drop in Israel's score, the report highlights a civil struggle to protect essential democratic values, preventing a more significant decrease in the index for the year. Arad urges vigilance to safeguard fundamental democratic principles, particularly the independence of the judicial system, to prevent further deterioration in Israel's global corruption perception.

Countries that scored higher than Israel in the 2023 index include Estonia (74), Seychelles (70), United Arab Emirates, and Chile (67). Transparency International cautions about the global trend of weakening legal systems, allowing corruption to flourish, as reflected in the low scores in some countries.

The report points to a direct link between a significant drop in index scores and governmental corruption, citing Iran (24), Russia (26), Turkey (34), Hungary, and China (42) with their lowest scores in history. Conversely, Estonia achieved its best score ever with 76, and Latvia scored 60 in the 2023 index.

The Corruption Perception Index, ranking 180 countries worldwide, measures the public sector's perceived level of corruption. It relies on input from 13 international research institutes specializing in governance, civil society, economics, and business administration.

The examination is carried out by academic researchers, global experts, and businessmen, considering aspects such as effective enforcement mechanisms, criminal prosecution of corrupt figures, misuse of power, transparency in public fund transfer, nepotism, protection for whistleblowers, and the independence of the press.

The findings underscore the importance of protecting essential democratic values to prevent further decline in Israel's global standing in the fight against corruption.