Charles Michel vs Kemal Kilicdaroglu

Charles Michel was elected President of the European Council, succeeding Donald Tusk. He became the youngest person to hold the office, tasked with chairing EU summits and representing the EU externally.

Michel coordinated EU leaders' response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including travel restrictions, vaccine procurement, and economic recovery. He chaired multiple video summits and pushed for a coordinated approach among member states.

Michel brokered a deal among EU leaders on the

Michel traveled to Kyiv to meet President Zelenskyy, demonstrating EU solidarity with Ukraine during the Russian invasion. The visit underscored EU support for Ukraine's sovereignty and its candidate status for EU membership.

Michel advocated for accelerating EU enlargement to include Western Balkan countries, proposing a 2030 target date. He argued that enlargement was a strategic investment in European stability and security.

Kilicdaroglu was elected leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey's main opposition party. He succeeded Deniz Baykal and aimed to modernize the party and challenge Erdogan's AKP.

Kilicdaroglu survived an assassination attempt when a gunman opened fire near his convoy during a funeral. No one was injured, and the attacker was arrested.

Kilicdaroglu led the 'No' campaign against the constitutional referendum that granted sweeping powers to President Erdogan. The 'Yes' vote won narrowly, with allegations of irregularities.

Kilicdaroglu ran as the joint opposition candidate against Erdogan in the presidential election. He won 47.8% in the first round but lost the runoff, despite strong support from a six-party alliance.