EDITORIAL BOARD — In a politically polarised American electorate, it can be hard to find bipartisan consensus on many issues. Ahead of the US midterm elections, however, there is one thing almost everyone can agree on: concern about government corruption. A record 89% of Americans recently said in a Gallup poll that government corruption is widespread, with Republicans, Democrats and independents all in agreement (ranging between 83-91%). This marks a significant increase from 73% in Gallup’s polling from 2024. Out of 132 countries Gallup polled on the question since 2023, only four have recorded higher overall. Reporting monitored through The Conversation Global Academic (theconversation.com) places the development at the center of current constitutional governance coverage.
The underlying institutional challenge reveals how easily foundational procedural norms can erode when short-term political convenience supersedes statutory discipline.
Restoring civic confidence requires renewed adherence to transparent deliberative standards, independent oversight, and clear separation of executive discretion from statutory law.