Corruption enriches the few, but weakens society as a whole. Corruption undermines the rule of law and democracy; it leads to the wasting of public funds; it distorts competition; it hampers trade and inhibits investments. Hence, corruption is unanimously recognized as a major evil.
Even if certainly not free of corruptive behaviours, Switzerland belongs to the group of the most virtuous countries in this field, subscribing to the highest scores of the Corruption Perception Index of the NGO Transparency International. In 2023, Switzerland ranked sixth out of 180 countries examined, with a score of 82/100.
Corruption is not a necessary evil. For some time now, efforts to combat corruption have been stepped up on all fronts. The Federal Council adopted in 2020 a Strategy against corruption covering the period 2021-2024. Primarily addressed to the federal administration, the Strategy defines objectives and measures in the areas of prevention, prosecution and international cooperation. It was drawn up by the Interdepartmental Working Group for the Fight against Corruption, a planning and coordination body under the leadership of the FDFA. The Working Group works together with the cantons, civil society and the private sector, ensuring co-ordination in the fight against corruption in Switzerland. The strategy will be evaluated and updated in 2024.
Switzerland also actively participates in the development of international instruments aimed at combating corruption and cooperating to fight against corruption. These can be seen on the following page:
