Nikola Gruevski vs Somchai Wongsawat

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.

Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin Shinawatra's brother-in-law, became Prime Minister after Samak Sundaravej's disqualification. His appointment was seen as an attempt by the pro-Thaksin faction to retain power, but it faced immediate opposition.

Somchai's tenure saw the intensification of Yellow Shirt protests, including the seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang Airport in November 2008. The protests paralyzed air travel and the economy, leading to a state of emergency.

The Constitutional Court dissolved the People's Power Party for electoral fraud, disqualifying Somchai from politics for five years. This ruling forced his resignation and led to the formation of a new coalition government under Abhisit Vejjajiva.