Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 136

136th PEP Weekly Digest:

Introducing the 136th 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 Dec 28, 2025 and Feb 08, 2026. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

Brazil Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski Resigns Citing Personal Reasons

One noteworthy event has occurred in Brazil: Brazil’s Justice Minister Ricardo ​Lewandowski resigned from role, a letter released the ministry.

Lewandowski attributed his decision to personal ⁠and family , according to the letter, which addressed to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. ​A former Supreme Court , Lewandowski served in Lula’s cabinet for nearly two years.

Reuters reported, citing sources, ⁠that Lewandowski had ​told advisors ​and the Presidential Palace that he would ⁠the role.

Energy Minister Kulman Ghising Resigns Ahead of March 5 Elections

Shifting our focus to Nepal, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Kulman Ghising, who was also in charge of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development, resigned from the ministerial positions.

He went to the prime minister’s official residence at Baluwatar to submit the resignation to Prime Minister Sushila Karki.

After returning from Baluwatar, Ghising held a press conference at the Ministry of Energy and made his decision public.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki had reportedly asked those ministers who were considering contesting the March 5 parliamentary elections to resign from their ministerial positions. She gave the instruction after the neutrality of the politically active individuals in the civil government was widely questioned.

Ivory Coast PM Robert Mambé Resigns After Legislative Elections

In Côte d’Ivoire, following the legislative elections of December 27, 2025, Prime Minister Robert Mambé submitted his resignation and that of his cabinet to President Alassane Ouattara, a move that has been accepted.

The official announcement regarding the resignations was made by Masséré Touré-Koné, the Secretary-General of the Presidency. This move comes in the wake of the legislative polls and in a context of political reconfiguration, as several members of the outgoing executive were elected as deputies in the recent parliamentary vote.

President Ouattara, who was re-elected last October, formalised the transition by signing several decrees of significance. The first decree terminates the functions of the PM and the entire government.

Luxembourg Regulator Fines Rakuten Europe Bank €185,000 Over AML Failures

In the realm of regulatory affairs, Luxembourg’s financial regulator has fined Rakuten Europe Bank €185,000 after an inspection revealed prolonged and unresolved weaknesses in its anti-money laundering controls, including failures in transaction monitoring, reporting and due diligence.

Luxembourg’s financial regulator has imposed a €185,000 fine on Japanese-owned Rakuten Europe Bank after identifying serious and long-standing breaches of anti-money laundering requirements. The Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier, known as the CSSF, said the bank had demonstrated persistent weaknesses in its control framework, prompting regulatory action.

The penalty was imposed on 19 May last year and has now been disclosed publicly, with the regulator noting that the amount represents roughly one per cent of Rakuten Europe Bank’s annual turnover at the end of 2022. The sanction followed an extensive on-site inspection focused on AML compliance, which took place between February and November 2023.

Turkish Court Sentences Selahattin Demirtas of 17 months for Insulting Erdogan

Shifting our attention to Turkey, a Turkish court in Mersin sentenced imprisoned Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas to one year, five months, and 15 days in prison for “chain insulting” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his lawyer confirmed.

The verdict stems from speeches Demirtas delivered in 2015, adding to the former pro-Kurdish party leader’s lengthy incarceration despite repeated calls from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) for his release.

The case, which had been adjourned to January 6 after a prosecutor’s demand for up to seven years in November 2025, centered on remarks made during election rallies in Mersin and Diyarbakır.

Read about the product: Data Asset Builder

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