Political Corruption

The index reflects expert assessments of how the executive, legislative, judicial, and bureaucratic branches engage in bribery, theft, and other forms of corruption in law-making and law-enforcement. 

Scale: 0 to 1 (higher values = higher corruption).

Direction of Change

POLITICAL CORRUPTION HAS DEEPENED

The data indicate that political corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina increased over the observed period. From the 1995 baseline, values rose notably by 2000 and then remained in a high, plateaued range from 2000 to 2015, fluctuating only slightly within a narrow band. After 2015, the index shows a further upward movement, reaching its highest recorded value in 2019 before stabilising at a similarly elevated level through 2020–2024. Across the entire timeframe, there is no sustained reduction - only minor variation within an overall upward trajectory - confirming that political corruption has remained persistently high and intensified over the past 30 years.

Global Rank

Compared with all geographic entities listed in the Index

Note: Population-weighted averages for Europe and the world.

Regional Rank

Compared with six former Yugoslav countries and Albania

Note: In 1995, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo were part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

1995 (highest → lowest): Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Slovenia.

2024 (highest → lowest): Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, Croatia, Slovenia.

Conclusion

Political corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina has risen sharply since 1995, stabilised at high levels for two decades, and remains significantly elevated in 2024, with no durable signs of improvement.

Source: V-Dem (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.