Eleonora Casuela notes that perception of corruption in Italy is prevalent, especially in public administration.  Italy is tied with six other states, four of which are European. The NGO Transparency International in its new ranking on corruption sees Italy steady at sixty-ninth place in a ranking that includes 175 states.

Although ranked the same as Brazil, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Senegal and Swaziland, with 43 points, Italy did in fact record a potential value lower (34 points). This places it on the top rung of the ladder of the eurozone countries and the whole of Europe. The index of Transparency should be stated, is based on perception, not on a register of cases certified. The ranking does not necessarily reflect the real value of corruption cases certificates.

According to the report, however, the level of perceived corruption is increasing especially in countries with the highest rate of economic growth. These include Turkey, in particular, followed by Brazil, Russia, India and China. But at the center of the criticism by Transparency International, there are also important financial centers.  In some countries where the level of corruption is low, the multinational banks and major financial centers such as Frankfurt, London and New York are often corrupt.

This year Denmark defended his first place, followed by New Zealand and Finland.

North Korea and Somalia are tied for last place.  Germany isl twelfth and fourteenth is Britain. France is twenty-sixth, with the US seventeenth.