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Crisis-Struck Europeans Say They’re Losing Faith in Governments Crisis-Struck Europeans Say They’re Losing Faith in Governments
(35 minutes later)
BERLIN — Less than 10 percent of people surveyed in the European countries hardest hit by the region’s debt crisis say  that their leaders are doing a good job at fighting corruption, a survey by the anticorruption group Transparency International has found. BERLIN — Less than 10 percent of people surveyed in the European countries hardest hit by the region’s debt crisis say that their leaders are doing a good job at fighting corruption, a survey by the anticorruption group Transparency International has found.
The results reflect a crisis of faith in government since the debt crisis crippled the economies of much of the euro zone beginning in 2008.The results reflect a crisis of faith in government since the debt crisis crippled the economies of much of the euro zone beginning in 2008.
The survey, released on Tuesday, revealed a deep chasm between elected leaders and the people they govern. About half of the 114,000 people surveyed around the world said they viewed political parties as the most corrupt institutions, and more than half thought that their governments were run by special interest groups. The survey, released on Tuesday, revealed a deep chasm between elected leaders and the people they govern. About half of the 114,000 people surveyed around the world said they viewed political parties as the most corrupt institutions, and more than half thought their governments were run by special interest groups.
João Paulo Batalha, a Portuguese  board member at Transparency International, cited the near-unraveling of the government of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho in Lisbon last week as an example of how focusing solely on the fiscal aspect of his country’s problems had led to the public frustration reflected in the survey.João Paulo Batalha, a Portuguese  board member at Transparency International, cited the near-unraveling of the government of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho in Lisbon last week as an example of how focusing solely on the fiscal aspect of his country’s problems had led to the public frustration reflected in the survey.
“It has to do not with the amount of money that the government has spent, but it has more to do with the way the government spends money,” Mr. Batalha said. “There are huge conflicts of interest between the public sector and the private sector. There are huge problems with wasteful spending that is not just wasteful because of incompetence, but because of corruption.”“It has to do not with the amount of money that the government has spent, but it has more to do with the way the government spends money,” Mr. Batalha said. “There are huge conflicts of interest between the public sector and the private sector. There are huge problems with wasteful spending that is not just wasteful because of incompetence, but because of corruption.”
This year’s “Global Corruption Barometer” is the widest survey conducted to date by the international corruption monitoring organization, which is based in Berlin. The group surveyed people in 107 countries.This year’s “Global Corruption Barometer” is the widest survey conducted to date by the international corruption monitoring organization, which is based in Berlin. The group surveyed people in 107 countries.
Only 23 percent of those surveyed internationally believed that their government’s efforts to fight corruption were effective, down from 32 percent in 2008. In Portugal, for example, only 8 percent of respondents expressed confidence in their leaders’ ability to fight corruption. That compares with 21 percent in 2007, before the outbreak of the financial crisis.Only 23 percent of those surveyed internationally believed that their government’s efforts to fight corruption were effective, down from 32 percent in 2008. In Portugal, for example, only 8 percent of respondents expressed confidence in their leaders’ ability to fight corruption. That compares with 21 percent in 2007, before the outbreak of the financial crisis.
The mood has soured even in the more prosperous European countries. Only 11 percent of Britons and 13 percent of Germans said they saw their government as effective in fighting corruption, both well below the global average of 22 percent. The mood has soured even in the more prosperous European countries. Only 11 percent of Britons and 13 percent of Germans said they saw their governments as effective in fighting corruption, both well below the global average of 22 percent.
Corruption remains rampant in many of the world’s developing countries, where most people surveyed said they had to pay bribes to receive public services. But the wealthier economic powers were not immune.Corruption remains rampant in many of the world’s developing countries, where most people surveyed said they had to pay bribes to receive public services. But the wealthier economic powers were not immune.
“In many countries, there are no clear lobby regulations,” said Miklos Marschall, a director at Transparency International, who called on European countries to establish more precise codes of conduct and clear ethics declarations. “Nineteen out of 25 European countries do not regulate lobbying at all.”“In many countries, there are no clear lobby regulations,” said Miklos Marschall, a director at Transparency International, who called on European countries to establish more precise codes of conduct and clear ethics declarations. “Nineteen out of 25 European countries do not regulate lobbying at all.”
Across the globe, 51 percent of people surveyed saw political parties in their countries as the most corrupt institutions, followed by the police and the judiciary.Across the globe, 51 percent of people surveyed saw political parties in their countries as the most corrupt institutions, followed by the police and the judiciary.
The news media did not fare as badly in most countries, but in Australia and Britain they were seen as the most corrupt institution, standing much lower in respondents’ eyes than three years ago, reflecting a series of recent scandals involving phone hacking and other misbehavior by reporters and editors.The news media did not fare as badly in most countries, but in Australia and Britain they were seen as the most corrupt institution, standing much lower in respondents’ eyes than three years ago, reflecting a series of recent scandals involving phone hacking and other misbehavior by reporters and editors.