When Covid-19 was declared as a pandemic, countries administered lockdowns and stimulus packages were announced to address the deteriorating situation. For implementing these packages, routine control measures were simplified and often relaxed. The G20 countries were quick to react by administering relief packages and at the same time, the G20 acknowledged that emergency measures, in the times of economic and social fragility, may result in corruption. This paper investigates the potential threats of corruption due to fiscal expansion during the pandemic and discusses recent evidence from G20 members on the mechanisms in place to address corruption. More generally, using available secondary data, the paper compares how the G20 members and non-members have performed on the corruption perception index over the years.
