The NGO Transparency International has released its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2015. After many years of falling down, the position of the Czech Republic in the ranking improved for the second year in a row. "While the improvement of 3 points in 2014 represented a shift by 4 places in the ranking, the improvement accelerated to 5 points and significant 16 places in the 2015 ranking. The Czech Republic has become the biggest "jumper" of the year," writes transparency.cz. When considering only the ranking of European countries, the Czech Republic moved from 25th to 22nd place. The Businessinsider.com website looked at wealthy nations which were rated relatively poorly.
France (23rd)
France has improved in the past year. Corruption there is not massively widespread.
Portugal (28th)
In an Ernst & Young survey in 2015, 83% of Portuguese citizens said that corruption and bribery were widespread in the country. In 2014 former Prime Minister Jose Socrates was detained on suspicion of tax fraud and money laundering.
Poland (30th)
Politicians use their positions to gain benefits. Nepotism and cronyism are widespread.
Spain (36th)
The Spanish Prime Minister was recently accused of corruption by prominent opposition figures. Furthermore, another 24 members of the ruling party were arrested over bribery allegations.
Israel (32nd)
In 2015 former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was convicted of illegally accepting more than $150,000 from an American tycoon.
Czech Republic (37th)
In this year's Corruption Perceptions Index, the Czech Republic fared better than last year. The major political corruption scandal that in 2013 forced premier Petr Necas to resign is now over.
Hungary (50th)
Hungary has become worse. Giving small bribes to doctors and surgeons is generally accepted there.
Slovakia (50th)
Recent years have seen the so-called Gorilla Scandal, in which politicians and business executives were accused of bribery.
Italy (61st)
Corruption in the Eurozone's third-biggest economy is often associated with former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who last year was convicted of tax fraud and later also of bribing a senator.
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