The analysis of citizens’ attitudes toward various forms of corrupt practices reveals worrying trends. In 2025, 53.7% of respondents state that they would not accept any form of corrupt behaviour, compared to 46.3% who would accept such conduct. This ratio represents a significant deterioration compared to previous surveys (in 2023, the ratio was 62.9% versus 37.1%, and in 2021 it was 63.3% versus 36.7%).
Although young people aged 18–29 continue to be the group with the lowest tolerance for corruption, a negative shift is also observed among them. In 2025, around 70% of young respondents consider most corrupt practices unacceptable, compared to over 80% in 2023.
If the results are projected on the basis of the latest population estimates, it can be concluded that for approximately 677,763 adult citizens in North Macedonia, corruption represents an acceptable form of behaviour. This figure is significantly higher than in previous surveys and poses a serious challenge to the design and implementation of effective anti-corruption policies, particularly given that such attitudes can easily be exploited by political and business actors.
An additional cause for concern is the fact that in 2025 as many as 45% of citizens are assessed as being susceptible to corruption, representing the highest level recorded since 2014. By comparison, this share stood at 19% in 2023 and 31% in 2021. At the same time, there is a significant decline in the proportion of citizens who are not susceptible to corruption (from 39.9% in 2023 to 26% in 2025), as well as in those exhibiting mixed behaviour (from 41.1% to 29%).
Although the share of citizens who would pay a bribe “at any cost” is decreasing, overall susceptibility to corruption continues to rise. The findings point to a persistent ambivalence in attitudes toward corruption: while moral condemnation remains widespread, practical tolerance is steadily increasing. This suggests low trust in institutions and in the ability to resolve problems without resorting to corrupt practices – a condition that sustains and deepens societal susceptibility to corruption.
The “Corruption Assessment Report on North Macedonia 2025” was prepared by the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC) as part of the project “Civil Society for Good Governance and Anti-Corruption in Southeast Europe: Capacity Building for Evidence-Based Advocacy, Policy Impact and Citizen Engagement (SELDI.net)”, funded by the European Commission.
