Governments of some countries have complained about the accuracy of the CPI – do their complaints have merit?
Complaints are understandable. No government wants to see its country depicted as being corrupt. The CPI, as noted in the press release, is a “poll of polls” of perceptions held by diverse individuals. It is an index that seeks to portray perceptions of corruption in countries. Governments that do not like the results should not question the merits of the CPI, rather they should question why their countries are widely seen as being corrupt. Actions they take to address domestic corruption may influence perceptions, which in time may be reflected in the rankings in the annual TI CPI.
