Bakili Muluzi vs Nikola Gruevski

Muluzi won Malawi's first multi-party election since independence, defeating longtime dictator Hastings Kamuzu Banda. He became the first democratically elected president of Malawi, ending 30 years of one-party rule.

Muluzi won a second term in office, defeating Gwanda Chakuamba. The election was marred by allegations of irregularities, but Muluzi's United Democratic Front retained power.

Muluzi attempted to amend the Malawian constitution to allow a third presidential term. The effort failed due to opposition from civil society, parliament, and international pressure, forcing him to step down in 2004.

Muluzi was arrested and charged with corruption and theft of public funds amounting to $11 million during his presidency. The case dragged on for years, with Muluzi eventually acquitted in 2012 due to lack of evidence.

Gruevski became Prime Minister after his party VMRO-DPMNE won the parliamentary elections. He began a decade-long rule marked by nationalist policies and economic growth.

Gruevski launched a large-scale urban renewal project in Skopje, building statues and buildings in a neoclassical style, including a statue of Alexander the Great. The project aimed to assert Macedonian identity but was criticized for cost and historical revisionism.

Opposition leader Zoran Zaev released wiretapped conversations allegedly showing Gruevski's government involved in corruption, election rigging, and media control. This sparked massive protests and a political crisis.

Under pressure from the wiretapping scandal and international mediation, Gruevski resigned, paving the way for early elections. His resignation ended his decade-long rule.

After being sentenced to two years in prison for corruption related to the purchase of a luxury vehicle, Gruevski fled to Hungary, where he was granted political asylum. This caused a diplomatic rift between Macedonia and Hungary.