Survey: 84% in Middle East and North Africa Say Public Corruption Has Worsened

The 2019 Arab Barometer surveys reveal a general increase in suspicions of corruption over the past ten years. Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the percentage of those who say corruption has increased in public institutions has risen from 78% in 2010 to 84% in 2019. This increase is particularly marked in Tunisia and Jordan.

Corruption is at the top of the main obstacles facing the MENA region. In 2019, it is perceived as a major problem, much more important than the economic situation. In Iraq and Kuwait, corruption is considered a more urgent problem than the economy: 32% of Iraqis and 42% of Kuwaitis believe it is the main problem.

47% of respondents in the MENA region believe it is necessary to pay a bribe to obtain better health services, a proportion that reaches 69% in Egypt and 64% in Morocco. The same applies to the employment sector. Across the MENA region, the use of connections or relationships to obtain a job is widely considered a form of corruption by 83% of respondents, while 88% believe it is the surest way to find a job, the same source specifies.