Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 126

126th PEP Weekly Digest:

Introducing the 126th edition of The PEP Weekly Digest, where we present to you the most recent updates and news on the global political stage.

Recent and upcoming elections influence the worldwide political landscape in eight nations, slated between Oct 12, 2025 and Nov 18, 2025. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

Slovenian Interior Minister Bostjan Poklukar Resign After Fatal Novo Mesto Assault

One noteworthy event has occurred in Slovenia, Justice minister Andreja Katic and interior minister Bostjan Poklukar have resigned following an assault in Novo Mesto, which left one person dead, the government said.

Prime minister Robert Golob has accepted the resignation of the two ministers, who have assumed responsibility for the incident, he said in a statement by the government.

The government will notify the national assembly of their resignations and propose replacements in the coming days, he added.

Tony Wakeham Sworn In as Newfoundland and Labrador’s 16th Premier After PC Majority Win

Shifting our focus to Canada, Tony Wakeham has been sworn in as Newfoundland and Labrador’s 16th premier, marking the Progressive Conservatives’ first return to power in the province in almost a decade.
Wakeham led the PCs to a majority victory in the Oct. 14 provincial election.

The ceremony took place at Government House in St. John’s.

Alexandru Munteanu Sworn In as Moldova’s Prime Minister to Advance EU Membership Goals

In Moldova, Alexandru Munteanu was sworn in as Moldova’s prime minister during a ceremony attended by President Maia Sandu and the speaker of parliament, Igor Grosu.

Munteanu, a 61-year-old economist who has worked at the World Bank and Moldova’s National Bank, is taking political office for the first time to help lead his country’s push for EU membership.

Moldova’s parliament appointed Munteanu as prime minister, after September’s elections gave Sandu’s ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) a decisive victory over its pro-Russian rivals.

Finland Fines Verkkokauppa.com €540,000 for Money Laundering Law Violations

In the realm of regulatory affairs, the Regional State Administrative Agency (Avi) of Southern Finland has fined electronics and household appliances retailer Verkkokauppa.com 540,000 euros, the authority said.

The agency said it issued the fine because the retailer failed to fulfil its obligations regarding money laundering laws. It criticised the firm for not properly following up on suspicious transactions, investigating customers’ backgrounds or reporting the incidents to authorities.

The transactions in question concerned cash payments of tens of thousands of euros by customers from countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA), according to the agency.

By failing to investigate or report those transactions, the agency said it believes the company exposed itself to a significant risk of facilitating money laundering or financing of terrorism.

The amount of the fine, according to the agency, was in line with the severity, scope and duration of the company’s shortfalls in the matter. The agency added that it also considered Verkkokauppa’s financial situation in its decision.

Former Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara Jailed for Criticizing Military Government

Shifting our attention to Mali, a Malian court has sentenced former Prime Minister Moussa Mara to two years in prison over a social media post that criticized military rulers for shrinking democratic space in the West African nation, his lawyer said.

Mara is among a handful of public figures to openly question Assimi Goita’s military government, which earlier this year dissolved political parties and granted itself a new five-year mandate without elections.
His lawyer, Mountaga Tall, posted on social media site X that Mara had also been fined 500,000 CFA ($887.10).

Amnesty International said in a statement that Mara’s sentence was part of a wider crackdown on dissent, citing several examples of journalists and activists that had been detained after criticizing Mali’s military rulers.

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