Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 132

132nd PEP Weekly Digest:

Introducing the 132nd 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 Nov 30, 2025, and Jan 11, 2026. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

Billionaire Andrej Babis Appointed Czech Prime Minister After Pledging to Step Back From Agrofert

One noteworthy event has occurred in the Czech Republic: billionaire Andrej Babis has been appointed as the Czech Republic’s new prime minister, with his full cabinet expected to take office within days.

His appointment followed a key demand from President Petr Pavel – a public pledge by Babis to relinquish control over his vast food-processing, agriculture and chemicals conglomerate Agrofert.

“I promise to be a prime minister who defends the interests of all our citizens, at home and abroad,” Babis said after the ceremony at Prague Castle.

“A prime minister who will work to make the Czech Republic the best place to live on the entire planet.”

These are lofty ambitions, but Babis, 71, is used to thinking big.

Agrofert is so deeply embedded in the Czech commercial ecosystem that there is even an app to help shoppers avoid buying products made by the group’s more than than 200 subsidiaries.

Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa Fires Mines Minister Winston Chitando Again, Names Deputy as Replacement

Shifting our focus to Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has fired Winston Chitando from his position as Minister of Mines and Mining Development and replaced him with his deputy, Polite Kambamura.

This is now the second time Chitando has been fired from the same post having been axed in September 2023 before returning to the portfolio in April last year.

The changes made were announced in a statement by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya.

Bulgaria PM Rosen Zhelyazkov Resigns After Weeks of Protests Over Economy and Corruption

In Bulgaria, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced his resignation, following weeks of mass protests over his handling of the economy and government corruption.

“Our coalition met, we discussed the current situation, the challenges we face and the decisions we must responsibly make,” Zhelyazkov said.

“Our desire is to be at the level that society expects,” he added. “Power stems from the voice of the people.”

The announcement came minutes before parliament had been set to vote on a no-confidence motion in his government.

Thousands of protesters had been out again in Sofia and other cities, even after Zhelyazkov withdrew his contentious 2026 budget.

Among other things, protesters were upset over planned hikes in taxes and social security contributions. Demonstrators have said this money would finance corruption, and that ordinary Bulgarians see little improvement in their daily lives.

Nationwide Faces Scrutiny After FCA Fines Building Society £44m Over Financial Crime Control Failures

In the realm of regulatory affairs, Nationwide Building Society is facing intense scrutiny after the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) imposed a £44m penalty over weaknesses in its financial crime controls—failures that regulators say contributed to red flags being missed in a major Covid furlough fraud case.

Coverage continued, 14 December, with fresh summaries of the case highlighting the building society’s Swindon base and the regulator’s view that Nationwide’s measures fell short during the period under investigation.

The FCA says Nationwide had inadequate anti-financial crime systems and controls between October 2016 and July 2021, including weaknesses in customer due diligence, risk assessments and transaction monitoring for personal current accounts.

A central issue, regulators say, was that Nationwide knew some customers were using personal accounts for business activity—against its own terms—at a time when it did not offer business current accounts, leaving it without the right processes to manage the higher money-laundering risks that can come with business-related payments.

Former Cuban Economy Minister Alejandro Gil Sentenced to Life for Espionage, 20 Years for Corruption

Shifting our attention to Cuba, Cuba’s top court has sentenced former Economy Minister Alejandro Gil to life in prison for espionage following a closed-door trial, in one of the country’s highest-profile cases in decades.

In a statement, the Supreme Popular Tribunal said Gil also received a second concurrent prison sentence of 20 years on corruption charges.

These include bribery, falsification of documents and tax evasion.

Gil, who served as economy minister from 2018 to 2024, was once a close confidant of President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

The 61-year-old politician was sacked in February 2024 and had not been seen or heard from until the trials.

The court did not give details about what exactly the former minister did or who he was spying for.

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