Swiss keep their hands clean

Bribery is not an everyday occurrence in Switzerland according to a Transparency International survey.

The results of the poll, released ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, found that less than four per cent of Swiss said they had paid a backhander.

However, 43 per cent of those questioned thought corruption would get worse and only 35 per cent thought the government was doing enough to combat it.

The survey – with around 63,2000 respondents in 60 countries – found that people across the globe continued to see political parties and parliaments as the institutions most compromised by dishonesty.

Worldwide, one in ten people said they had paid a bribe in return for a service. The figure rose to 42 per cent in Africa and stood at 22 per cent in Asia.

Albania, Romania, Pakistan, the Philippines and Nigeria were among the countries worst affected by petty corruption.

Countries with a low rate of bribery included Switzerland’s neighbours France and Germany, as well as Japan, several Scandinavian countries and Canada.