Boris Trajkovski vs Laurentino Cortizo

Trajkovski was elected as the second president of independent Macedonia in November 1999, succeeding Gligorov. His election marked a shift in leadership during a period of ethnic tensions and economic challenges.

Trajkovski played a key role in negotiating and signing the Ohrid Framework Agreement in August 2001, which ended the 2001 insurgency. The agreement granted greater rights to ethnic Albanians, including official language status and decentralization.

Trajkovski died on February 26, 2004, when his plane crashed near Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, while en route to an economic conference. The crash killed all nine people on board, including his advisors and crew.

Laurentino Cortizo, a former agriculture minister and member of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), won the 2019 presidential election. His campaign emphasized social programs, anti-corruption, and economic stability, defeating a fragmented opposition.

Cortizo's administration faced the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing lockdowns, economic relief measures, and a vaccination campaign. Panama was one of the first countries in Latin America to secure vaccines, but the pandemic caused significant economic contraction and public health challenges.

Cortizo's government signed a controversial 20-year contract with Canadian mining company First Quantum Minerals to operate the Cobre Panama copper mine. The deal sparked massive protests over environmental and economic concerns, leading to widespread civil unrest and calls for his resignation.