BERLIN -- An anti-corruption watchdog group is warning that people who turn to populist politicians promising to upset the status quo and end corruption may only be feeding the problem.
Transparency International released its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2016 on Wednesday. The report says that populist or autocratic leaders usually install more corrupt systems in the countries they pledged to reform.
The group's chairman, Jose Ugaz, cited Hungary and Turkey as examples. He says their scores have worsened in recent years while Argentina's have improved since a populist government was ousted.
Based on expert opinions of public sector corruption, the annual report ranked Denmark and New Zealand as the least-corrupt countries, followed by Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway. Somalia was ranked most corrupt, followed by South Sudan, North Korea, and Syria.