Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 165

165th PEP Weekly Digest:

Introducing the 165th 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 Jun 21, 2026, and Aug 30, 2026. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

Keiko Fujimori Appoints Luis Galarreta as Peru’s New Prime Minister Ahead of Government Transition

One noteworthy event has occurred in Peru: less than 24 hours before the new government took office, President-elect Keiko Fujimori made one of the most important political decisions of her term by appointing Luis Galarreta as head of the Council of Ministers . The former president of Congress will assume the challenge of leading the cabinet in a context marked by citizen insecurity, the threat of El Niño, and the need to revitalize investment. But who is the politician who will have the mission of coordinating the Executive’s main decisions from the very first day of his administration?

During a press conference, the president announced Luis Galarreta Velarde as the next president of the Council of Ministers (PCM). She also announced that economist Elmer Cuba will assume the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) , while journalist Carlos Espá will head the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

New Caledonia’s Eveil Océanien Leader Milakulo Tukumuli Becomes Government President

Shifting our focus to New Caledonia, A member of New Caledonia’s Eveil Océanien kingmaker’s party, Milakulo Tukumuli, has been elected as the new president of the territory’s ‘collegial’ government.

He was elected by New Caledonia’s 54-member Congress during a special sitting where the 11 members of the French Pacific territory’s “collegial” government were elected.

The Congress sitting directly stems from the recent provincial elections held on 28 June.

Based on the principle of proportional representation, the new executive is a reflection of the recent provincial elections, as well as the “governance pact” sealed between the pro-France bloc and the small Eveil Océanien party, often dubbed the “kingmaker’s party”.

Under the pact, which already propelled pro-France candidate Virginie Ruffenach (pro-France Rassemblement party) to the Chair of the Congress earlier this month, the head of Eveil Océanien (a Wallisian-based party he founded in 2019), Milakulo Tukumuli, 41, takes the helm of New Caledonia’s government as its President.

Steffen Bilger Appointed Germany’s New Transport Minister as Port Operators Welcome Infrastructure Focus

In Germany, The Central Association of German Port Operators (ZDS) endorsed the appointment of Steffen Bilger as the new federal Minister of Transport. The organization highlighted the official’s experience and commitment.

In a statement, the ZDS expressed that “the change in administration offers an opportunity to remedy a significant deficiency in infrastructure policy. While German seaports are indispensable for competitiveness, supply security, and military mobility, they have not yet been adequately considered in the federal government’s share of the twelve-year special infrastructure fund.”

Furthermore, the institution stated that “the close relationship between the performance of the German economy and its seaports is exemplified in Ludwigsburg, Bilger’s home region: according to the North German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Nord), 87% of the region’s exports are handled through German ports. Therefore, seaports are not merely regional infrastructure of the coastal states, but a national requirement for Germany’s competitiveness as an industrial hub.”

Lombard Odier Fined SFr3 Million for AML Failures Linked to Uzbek Money-Laundering Network

In the realm of regulatory affairs, Lombard Odier & Cie has been found guilty and ordered to pay SFr3m ($3.7m) after Swiss judges concluded the bank failed to prevent an Uzbek money-laundering network from operating through its Geneva business.

The Swiss Federal Criminal Court also gave a former Lombard Odier relationship manager, identified only as C. under privacy rules, a two-year suspended prison term for his part in the case.

The proceedings have run for years and had already shifted in April, when the case against Uzbek businesswoman and former diplomat Gulnara Karimova, described as the alleged organiser, was thrown out.

Switzerland’s highest criminal court ended that case after ruling that Karimova’s detention in Uzbekistan meant she was unlikely to stand trial in Switzerland, making a fair hearing impossible.

Ex-Bihar Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma Sentenced in Illegal Arms Case Linked to CBI Raid

Shifting our attention to India, a special MP-MLA court in Begusarai convicted former state social welfare minister Manju Verma and her husband Chandrasekhar Verma in an illegal arms case and sentenced both to seven years’ imprisonment.

Public prosecutor Santosh Kumar said Additional District and Sessions Judge-II-cum-special MP-MLA court Judge Brajesh Kumar Singh also imposed a fine of Rs50,000 each on the convicts.

The case relates to a CBI raid at the couple’s ancestral home in Arjun Tola village under Cheria Bariarpur police station in Aug 2018 during the investigation into the Muzaffarpur shelter home case. The CBI had registered an Arms Act case after ammunition was allegedly recovered from the premises.

Read about the product: Data Asset Builder

Empower your organization with ZIGRAM’s integrated RegTech solutions – Book a Demo