Casablanca – Morocco recorded a modest improvement in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by Transparency International, ranking 91st out of 182 countries with a score of 39 out of 100. This represents an eight-place rise compared with 2024, when the Kingdom ranked 99th with a score of 37. While the change signals a limited recovery, analysts and civil society organizations stress that the progress remains fragile and insufficient to reverse a long-term trend of stagnation and decline in governance standards.

The CPI measures perceived levels of public-sector corruption, drawing on data related to misuse of public funds, abuse of power for private gain, lack of accountability, excessive bureaucracy, and nepotism. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating lower levels of corruption. Morocco’s current score places it below the global average and well behind leading performers such as Denmark, Finland, Singapore, and New Zealand.

A decade of fluctuating performance

Over the past decade, Morocco’s performance on the CPI has oscillated within a narrow range. The country achieved its highest score in 2018, when it ranked 73rd globally with 43 points. Since then, the trend has generally moved downward: 41 points in 2019, 40 in 2020, 39 in 2021, 38 in both 2022 and 2023, and 37 in 2024, before the slight improvement recorded in 2025.

Despite the recent gain, Transparency Maroc and other governance watchdogs argue that Morocco has not yet established a sustained upward trajectory. They point out that a recovery of two points and eight places, while welcome, does not offset the four-point decline and 18-place drop registered over the past seven years.

Institutional and legislative context

Observers link the stagnation in corruption control to a series of institutional and legislative developments in recent years. At the beginning of its current term, the governing majority withdrew two major draft laws: one criminalizing illicit enrichment and another addressing the illegal occupation of public property. These withdrawals were widely viewed as setbacks in the country’s legal framework for preventing and prosecuting corruption.

Subsequently, legislative efforts focused on other areas, including the adoption of Law 03.23 on criminal procedure. Articles 3 and 7 of this law limit the ability of civil society organizations and associations to file complaints in corruption cases related to the management of public funds. Civil society groups have criticized these provisions, arguing that they contradict the Moroccan Constitution and international anti-corruption conventions ratified by the Kingdom.

In addition, several key legal reforms envisioned in the 2011 Constitution have yet to be implemented. These include legislation governing conflicts of interest, revisions to the law on access to information, updates to asset declaration requirements, and a comprehensive law on the protection of whistleblowers. The delay in enacting and enforcing these measures is widely seen as weakening Morocco’s institutional capacity to detect, prevent, and sanction corrupt practices.

Civic space and accountability

Transparency International’s 2025 report highlights a broader global trend: restrictions on civil society, journalists, non-governmental organizations, and whistleblowers increase the risk of abuse of power and create environments more vulnerable to corruption. In Morocco’s case, the report notes that such restrictions have weakened investigations into cases involving elected officials and public employees.

This assessment aligns with concerns raised by local organizations regarding shrinking civic space and reduced oversight. In 2025, Morocco ranked 120th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, reflecting challenges faced by journalists and media institutions. According to governance observers, limitations on press freedom and civic participation undermine transparency and accountability, two pillars of effective anti-corruption strategies.

Regional and global positioning

Within the Arab world, Morocco ranked eighth on the 2025 CPI, behind the United Arab Emirates (21st globally), Qatar (41st), Saudi Arabia (45th), Oman (54th), Bahrain and Jordan (both 56th), and Kuwait (65th). In the Maghreb region, Morocco shared the top position with Tunisia, while Algeria ranked 109th globally, Mauritania 130th, and Libya 177th.

At the global level, Denmark topped the index, followed by Finland, Singapore, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Germany. At the lower end of the ranking were Yemen, Venezuela, Somalia, and South Sudan, countries facing severe governance challenges and institutional fragility.

Transparency International’s regional analysis for the Middle East and North Africa indicates that corruption remains widespread across the region. Most governments have yet to respond effectively to the scale of the problem in the public sector. Since 2012, only a small number of countries have recorded marked declines, while none have achieved significant, sustained progress.

Economic and social implications

Experts warn that persistent corruption has far-reaching consequences beyond governance indicators. It undermines public trust in institutions, weakens social cohesion, and distorts economic activity by encouraging rent-seeking behavior and unfair competition. In Morocco, civil society organizations argue that systemic corruption affects investment climate, public service delivery, and the equitable distribution of resources, ultimately constraining development and social mobility.

Recent years have also seen public discontent expressed through demonstrations, particularly among younger generations. Transparency International’s report notes that in Morocco, restrictions on investigations into corruption cases involving public officials were among the factors that contributed to large protests led by Generation Z in the previous year. These dynamics highlight the link between governance, accountability, and social stability.

Outlook and policy implications

The modest improvement recorded in the 2025 CPI suggests that Morocco may be stabilizing after several years of decline, but analysts caution that this alone does not constitute a turning point. Sustained progress, they argue, will require comprehensive reforms across legal, institutional, and political domains.

Key priorities identified by governance experts include strengthening the independence and capacity of oversight bodies, restoring and expanding the role of civil society in monitoring public spending, enhancing protections for whistleblowers, and ensuring full implementation of constitutional provisions related to transparency and accountability. Reinstating and advancing legislation on illicit enrichment, conflicts of interest, and access to information are also seen as critical steps.

Transparency International’s global report urges leaders worldwide to address abuses of power and the broader drivers of corruption, including weakening democratic institutions and shrinking civic space. For Morocco, the challenge lies in translating commitments into concrete actions that restore public confidence and place the country on a durable path toward improved governance.

While the 2025 ranking reflects a slight recovery, the broader picture remains one of persistent structural challenges. Whether Morocco can convert this limited improvement into sustained progress will depend on the political will to implement reforms, strengthen institutions, and ensure that accountability mechanisms function effectively across all levels of public life.