Gotabaya Rajapaksa vs Kiril Petkov

As Defense Secretary under President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa oversaw the military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The war ended in 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE, but was marked by allegations of civilian casualties and human rights abuses.

Rajapaksa won the presidential election with a landslide victory, securing 52.25% of the vote. His campaign focused on national security and economic development, appealing to Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism.

Under Rajapaksa's presidency, Sri Lanka faced its worst economic crisis since independence, with shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. The government defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time in history, leading to widespread protests.

Following massive protests and the occupation of the presidential palace, Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives and then Singapore. He resigned as president via email, ending his presidency in disgrace.

Kiril Petkov co-founded the 'We Continue the Change' party with Asen Vasilev, focusing on anti-corruption and reform. The party quickly gained popularity, winning the November 2021 parliamentary elections.

Petkov became Prime Minister in December 2021, leading a four-party coalition government. His cabinet included technocrats and reformers, aiming to tackle corruption and modernize Bulgaria's economy.

Petkov's government lifted Bulgaria's veto on EU accession talks with North Macedonia, agreeing to a compromise that addressed historical issues. The decision was praised by the EU but criticized by nationalists in Bulgaria.

Petkov's government lost a no-confidence vote in June 2022, triggered by disagreements over the North Macedonia veto and internal coalition tensions. The collapse led to early elections and a return to political instability.