Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 101

101st PEP Weekly Digest:

Introducing the 101st edition of The PEP Weekly Digest, where we present 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 May 03, 2025 and May 18, 2025. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

Friedrich Merz Elected German Chancellor After Second-Round Victory

One noteworthy event has occurred in Germany, its conservative leader Friedrich Merz has been elected as the new chancellor of the country after securing a majority in the second round of voting in the Lower House of Parliament. A total of 325 of the 630 lawmakers voted in favor of Mr Merz this time around, bringing him over the necessary 316 threshold. Earlier, in the first round, only 310 members voted for Mr Merz giving a significant blow to his prestige and an unprecedented failure in post-war German history.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated Friedrich Merz on assuming office as the Federal Chancellor of Germany. In a social media post, the Prime Minister said that he is looking forward to work together to further cement the India-Germany Strategic Partnership.

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu Resigns Amid Turmoil After Far-Right Gains in Presidential Vote

Shifting our focus to Romania, Romania’s pro-EU Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced his resignation, deepening political turmoil a day after a far-right candidate topped the first round of a tense presidential vote rerun.

EU critic George Simion topped first round in the EU and NATO member bordering war-torn Ukraine, while the ruling coalition’s candidate narrowly lost out to Bucharest’s mayor for the second spot.

Ciolacu’s resignation comes just two weeks before the second round scheduled for May 18, closely watched by Brussels and Washington, worsening political turmoil in the eastern European country.

Faure Gnassingbé Appointed First Council President Under Togo’s New Constitution, Gains Full Executive Powers

In Togo, Togo’s National Assembly appointed Faure Gnassingbé as the first President of the Council, a new role created by the constitution adopted in May 2024. The Assembly announced this on May 3, during a plenary session in Lomé.

Gnassingbé, leader of the ruling Union for the Republic (Unir) party, secured the position after his party won 108 out of 113 seats in the April 2024 legislative elections. The new constitution grants the Council President full executive power, making the presidency a symbolic, ceremonial office.

Gnassingbé now leads the government, sets national policy, chairs the Council of Ministers, and oversees the administration, defense, and security forces. He controls foreign policy, appoints civil and military officials, executes laws, exercises regulatory power, and can grant pardons.

Liberia’s FIA Fines Oceano Casino, Citi Trust for Major AML/CFT Violations After Risk-Based Inspection

In the realm of regulatory affairs, the Financial Intelligence Agency of Liberia (FIA) has taken robust anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) action by imposing monetary fines of L$10 million and L$5 million, respectively, against Oceano Casino and Citi Trust Liberia. The penalties stem from egregious violations of Liberia’s AML/CFT Laws and the significant inherent risk exposure posed by the casino to money laundering and terrorist financing.

According to the FIA, both institutions failed to meet critical AML/CFT requirements as mandated by the country’s AML/CFT Act of 2021. These conclusions followed a detailed Risk-based AML/CFT Compliance Inspection conducted by the FIA from October 2, 2024, to March 17, 2025.

Gali Janardhan Reddy Sentenced to 7 Years in OMC Illegal Mining Case After 14-Year Trial

Shifting our attention to India, a special CBI court here convicted former Karnataka minister and MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy and three others in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) illegal mining case.

The court sentenced them to seven years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each. Mr Reddy was named accused number two. The court imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine on the company. Soon after the judgment, the CBI took Mr Reddy and others into custody.

The CBI court delivered the judgement nearly 14 years after the CBI had filed a charge sheet against Mr Reddy and others, accusing them of tampering with mining lease boundary markings and carrying out mining illegally in Bellary Reserve Forest area on the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border.

Read about the product: Data Asset Builder

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