Praexedes Mateo Sagasta vs Sadiq al-Mahdi

Sagasta, as leader of the Liberal Party, signed the Pact of El Pardo with Conservative leader Antonio Canovas del Castillo. This agreement formalized the turno pacifico, ensuring the peaceful alternation of power between the two parties after the death of King Alfonso XII.

Sagasta's government passed the Law of Associations, which legalized trade unions and political organizations. This law provided a legal framework for labor movements and political parties, fostering the growth of civil society in Spain.

As prime minister, Sagasta enacted the Law of Universal Suffrage for men over 25, replacing the previous census-based suffrage. This reform expanded the electorate significantly, though its impact was limited by continued electoral manipulation through caciquismo.

Sagasta was prime minister when the Spanish-American War broke out following the sinking of the USS Maine. Spain suffered a decisive defeat, losing its remaining colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam, marking the end of the Spanish Empire.

Sadiq al-Mahdi was elected Prime Minister of Sudan, leading a coalition government. His tenure was marked by political instability and the outbreak of the Second Sudanese Civil War in 1983. He was overthrown by a military coup led by Omar al-Bashir in 1989.

As a key figure in the Sudanese government, Sadiq al-Mahdi supported the Addis Ababa Agreement, which ended the First Sudanese Civil War and granted autonomy to southern Sudan. The agreement was later abrogated by President Nimeiry in 1983.

Sadiq al-Mahdi's democratically elected government was overthrown by a military coup led by Omar al-Bashir. Al-Mahdi was arrested and imprisoned, marking the end of Sudan's last democratic period before Bashir's 30-year rule.