# Widespread corruption · Crisis Trends 2025 · Zorraquino > Corruption becomes part of the system’s dynamics, distorting how institutions work and perverting the very idea of the public good. URL: https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/widespread-corruption ![Widespread corruption: Corruption becomes part of the system’s dynamics, distorting how institutions work and perverting the very idea of the public good.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0w1142l8/production/9d43a67ad9495693f3034d4b3a93e998881ce2e4-1920x1080.webp/widespread-corruption-corruption-becomes-part-of-the-system-s-dynamics.webp?w=1600&fit=max&auto=format&q=85) Trend 04 # Widespread corruption 1. [Crisis Trends 2025Home](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025) 2. [Trend 01Climate emergency](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/climate-emergency) 3. [Trend 02Voracious capitalism](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/voracious-capitalism) 4. [Trend 03Elitist impunity](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/elitist-impunity) 5. [Trend 04Widespread corruption](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/widespread-corruption) 6. [Trend 05Living crunch](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/living-crunch) 7. [Trend 06Prolonged conflict](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/prolonged-conflict) 8. [Trend 07Authoritarian resurgence](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/authoritarian-resurgence) 9. [Trend 08Rights rollback](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/rights-rollback) 10. [Trend 09Weaponized racism](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/weaponized-racism) 11. [Trend 10Silent genocide](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/silent-genocide) Widespread corruption Corruption becomes part of the system’s dynamics, distorting how institutions work and perverting the very idea of the public good. Trend axes - Contract fraud - Illicit networks - Public betrayal - Institutional decay Some figures 56 Spain’s score in Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, a fall of 10 places compared with the previous period. 2 Position that concern about corruption holds among the country’s population, according to the latest Opinion Barometer of the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS). 40% Percentage of public tenders in 2025 awarded in competitions with a single bidder, a total of 18,542 contracts. 60,000 Millions of euros a year that Spain is estimated to be losing in revenue because of corruption, 4.5% of GDP, according to an IMF report. ## From isolated scandal to cog in the machine Public institutions have seen corrupt practices, once seen as exceptional, seep in until they became part of their everyday running. What was once considered an isolated deviation is gradually becoming a normal way of operating, where political, business and personal interests converge. The scandals involving public office-holders, their closest circles and networks of influence linked to power reveal not only reprehensible individual conduct, but a system able to absorb and normalise these dynamics. Cronyism, opaque awarding of contracts and the use of inside information for private gain become visible symptoms of a deeper web. The systematisation of these practices is sustained by weakened legal frameworks, captured oversight bodies and a political culture that puts internal loyalty before accountability. Oversight mechanisms, designed to guarantee integrity and transparency, become tools that cover up or legitimise corruption when the interests of those in government require it. In this scenario, the impact goes beyond the loss of public resources. There is a sustained decline in public trust, an erosion of the very meaning of the public good and the consolidation of an ecosystem in which abuse of power is no longer the exception but the norm. ## Cases 01 / 05 ## More on the trend ### References - [Índice de percepción de la corrupción 2024: España baja cuatro puntos y diez puestos con respecto al índice de percepción de la corrupción 2023](https://transparencia.org.es/actualidad/indice-de-percepcion-de-la-corrupcion-2024-espana-baja-cuatro-puntos-y-diez-puestos-con-respecto-al-indice-de-percepcion-de-la-corrupcion-2023/) - [Quién es quién en el caso Montoro: el círculo de confianza del exministro, imputado por formar una "red de influencias"](https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20250721/quien-caso-montoro-circulo-hacienda/16672427.shtml) - [El ‘caso Montoro’, explicado con tres simples esquemas](https://elpais.com/espana/2025-07-19/el-caso-montoro-explicado-con-tres-simples-esquemas.html) - [La jueza envía al banquillo al hermano de Sánchez, al líder del PSOE en Extremadura y a otras nueve personas](https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20250522/jueza-ratifica-su-decision-investigar-hermano-pedro-sanchez-por-malversacion-trafico-influencias/16592039.shtml-esquemas.html) - [Un juez imputa a la exmilitante socialista Leire Díez por sus supuestas maniobras contra la UCO](https://elpais.com/espana/2025-07-31/un-juez-cita-como-imputada-a-leire-diez-por-sus-supuestas-maniobras.html) - [Un juzgado imputa a la supuesta fontanera del PSOE, Leire Díez, por cohecho y tráfico de influencias](https://www.lasexta.com/noticias/nacional/juzgado-imputa-supuesta-fontanera-psoe-leire-diez-cita-declarar-11-noviembre%5F20250731688b3ba5c5e9fd602f61a72c.html) - [Guía rápida para no perderse en el ‘súperpleno’ de fin de curso en el Congreso](https://www.democrata.es/actualidad/guia-rapida-para-no-perderse-en-el-superpleno-de-fin-de-curso-en-el-congreso/) - [Del ‘caso Koldo’ al ‘caso Cerdán’: todo lo que se sabe de la trama de corrupción que pone contra las cuerdas al PSOE](https://elpais.com/expres/2025-06-22/del-caso-koldo-al-caso-cerdan-todo-lo-que-se-sabe-de-la-trama-de-corrupcion-que-pone-contra-las-cuerdas-al-psoe.html) - [La corrupción se coloca como segundo problema de España en el CIS tras el estallido del 'caso Cerdán'](https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-corrupcion-coloca-segundo-problema-espana-cis-estallido-caso-cerdan-20250711130258.html#google%5Fvignette) - [Contratos amañados: ¿el eterno ‘déjà vu’?](https://cincodias.elpais.com/legal/2025-07-09/contratos-amanados-el-eterno-deja-vu.html/) - [¿Cuánto nos cuesta la corrupción? "Los costes indirectos sobre la economía son brutales"](https://www.antena3.com/programas/espejo-publico/noticias/cuanto-nos-cuesta-corrupcion-costes-indirectos-economia-son-brutales%5F20250711687100573c6d9a1f94756c30.html) - [El agobiante coste de la corrupción en España](https://business-people.es/economia/el-agobiante-coste-de-la-corrupcion-en-espana) - [La mujer de un directivo de Quirón niega que la venta de su empresa a González Amador fuese una comisión encubierta](https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20250619/mujer-presidente-quiron-niega-venta-empresa-gonzalez-amador-fuese-comision-encubierta/16631380.shtml) - [La Abogacía del Estado pide casi 4 años de cárcel para el novio de Ayuso, igual que la Fiscalía](https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2025-07-28/fraude-hacienda-gonzalez-amador-madrid-1tps%5F4181484/) - [El caso Marchelo: la corrupción urbanística con cárcel para el marido de Ana Rosa que no se comenta en ‘El programa de AR’](https://www.elplural.com/extratele/caso-marchelo-corrupcion-urbanistica-carcel-marido-ana-rosa-no-comenta-el-programa-ar%5F355690102) Pages 36–45 of the report [![Living crunch: The cost of living keeps rising, straining household budgets and restricting access to essential goods and services.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0w1142l8/production/9daae58df3107473b0a1c364da2f9e3787cf248e-1848x1041.webp/living-crunch-the-cost-of-living-keeps-rising-straining-household-budgets-and.webp?w=1600&fit=max&auto=format&q=85)](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/living-crunch) Next trend · 05 [Living crunch](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/crisis-trends-2025/living-crunch)