Corruption in Italy

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Corruption in Italy is a major problem. In Transparency International's annual surveys, Italy has consistently been regarded as one of the most corrupt countries in the Eurozone.[1][2] Political corruption remains a major problem, particularly in Lombardy,[3][4][5] Campania and Sicily where corruption perception is at a high level.[6][7] Political parties are ranked the most corrupt institution in Italy, closely followed by public officials and Parliament, according to Transparency International. But in the 2013 Global Corruption Barometer report, Italy is in 17th position in front of the United Kingdom (18th), Switzerland (21st) and the United States (22nd).[8]

Regarding business and corruption, foreign investments and economic growth are hindered by organized crime and corruption.[9] Business executives from the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2013–2014 consider corruption one of the problems for doing business in Italy.[10] The procurement process, mainly in water, roads and railway projects, in Italy is affected by corruption.[11]

According to Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer 2013, 89% of surveyed households consider political parties to be corrupt or extremely corrupt—ranking as the most corrupt institution in Italy. Furthermore, 64% of the surveyed households believe that the level of corruption has increased and 61% of surveyed households find government efforts in the fight against corruption to be ineffective[12]

Italian culture has been described as being characterized by "an ambiguous attitude to graft".[13] A 2015 Al Jazeera report noted that clientelism and graft have long been cornerstones of the country's political establishment,[14] and a Forbes contributor wrote in 2016 about "the deep-seated nature of unsavoury elements in both private and public sectors" in Italy.[1] "Many Italians", maintained a 2010 report, have accepted corruption and poor governance as part of their lives.[15] However, a 2015 report challenged this generally accepted view, arguing that "corruption in Italy does not seem to be a cultural issue" and that Italians consistently believe corrupt practices are less acceptable than other European nations.[16]

The Mafia plays a key role in both public and private corruption. Arising "out of business deals", as Forbes put it, the Mafia historically "acted as a guarantor for contracts, when the judiciary was viewed as weak. Until relatively recent history, almost every deal in the country was enforced by a 'man of honor.'"[1]

One source has described the web of corruption involving politics, business, and the Mafia as "an unholy triangle," adding that it could alternatively be seen as a rectangle, with the Catholic Church being a fourth major participant in the web of corruption, owing to links between the Mafia and Vatican Bank and to "complex money laundering systems" involving banks that manage church funds.[17]

  1. ^ a b c Webb, Jonathan (Apr 25, 2016). "Corruption In Italy Is Getting Worse, Says Supreme Court Judge". Forbes.
  2. ^ "Italy is (still) one of Europe's most corrupt countries". The Local. Jan 27, 2016.
  3. ^ "Corruzione politica: in testa Campania, Lombardia e Sicilia". 17 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Corruzione politica in aumento dopo Tangentopoli, Sicilia in testa insieme a Campania e Lombardia". Giornale di Sicilia.
  5. ^ "Corruzione, lo studio: "Sempre più in Comuni e Regioni". Dopo Mani pulite 64 parlamentari coinvolti in indagini". Il Fatto Quotidiano. December 16, 2016.
  6. ^ "Freedom in the World". Freedom House. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  7. ^ "EXAMINING THE LINKS BETWEEN ORGANISEDCRIME AND CORRUPTION" (PDF). Center for the Study of Democracy. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  8. ^ "BBC News - Map: Which country pays the most bribes?". BBC News. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  9. ^ "2013 Investment Climate Statement – Italy". US Department of State. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014" (PDF). World Economic Forum. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Snapshot of the Italy Country Profile". Business Anti-Corruption Portal. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  12. ^ e.V., Transparency International. "Italy 2013 - World's largest opinion survey on corruption - Transparency International". www.transparency.org. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  13. ^ Day, Michael (Mar 20, 2015). "Corruption in Italy 'worse than ever' as minister quits over links with gang accused of bribery". The Independent.
  14. ^ Mammone, Andrea (Sep 10, 2015). "Eternal Corruption in the Eternal City?". Al Jazeera.
  15. ^ Scaglia, Paul (Apr 9, 2010). "Comment: Quake underlines Italy's sad legacy of corruption". Italian Insider.
  16. ^ Capussela, Andrea (May 9, 2015). "Corruption in Italy: a resilient equilibrium". Open Democracy.
  17. ^ Roe, Alex (Feb 21, 2012). "Why Nothing's Changed Since The Huge Corruption Scandal That Hit Italy 20 Years Ago". Business Insider.