Legislative Corruption Score in Belgium
Belgium: Legislative Corruption Score was 1.92 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.92
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
12th
of 174 countries
All-time high
1.92
in 1997
All-time low
1.35
in 1919
Years of data
188
1831–2025
Legislative Corruption Score in Belgium, 1831–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 1.92 for legislative corruption score in 2025. That is the highest value across all 188 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, legislative corruption score in Belgium peaked at 1.92 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 1.35, in 1919.
Belgium ranks 12th of 174 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 188 years of available data.
Legislative Corruption Score in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1831 | 1.36 | — |
| 1832 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 1.35 | -0.6% |
| 1920 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 1.35 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 1.52 | +12.3% |
| 1945 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.52 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.92 | +26.8% |
| 1998 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.92 | +0.0% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 1.92 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.22, 1.6× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 1.92 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.824, 2.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 9 |
| 1840s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1850s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.36 | 1.35 | 1.36 | 6 |
| 1920s | 1.35 | 1.35 | 1.35 | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.35 | 1.35 | 1.35 | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.49 | 1.35 | 1.52 | 7 |
| 1950s | 1.52 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.52 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.52 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.52 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.64 | 1.52 | 1.92 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.92 | 1.92 | 1.92 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.92 | 1.92 | 1.92 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.92 | 1.92 | 1.92 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 9 Uruguay 2.13 compare
- 10 Netherlands 2.05 compare
- 11 Seychelles 1.99 compare
- 13 New Zealand 1.89 compare
- 14 Finland 1.82 compare
- 15 Burkina Faso 1.73 compare
More social development data for Belgium
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 186,393 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 113 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 113 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0156 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is legislative corruption score in Belgium?
- Legislative corruption score in Belgium was 1.92 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest legislative corruption score recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 1.92 in 1997.
- What is the lowest legislative corruption score recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.35 in 1919.
- How does Belgium rank for legislative corruption score?
- Belgium ranks 12th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is legislative corruption score rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Legislative Corruption Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 188 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Data by V-Dem. Expert estimates of the extent to which members of the legislature abuse their position for financial gain, such as bribes, government contracts, future employment, or stealing from the state. Higher scores mean less corruption. A score of 0 is approximately the average across all countries and years.