Mikheil Saakashvili

Saakashvili led mass protests against disputed parliamentary elections, culminating in the peaceful Rose Revolution. President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned, and Saakashvili was elected President of Georgia in a landslide victory, promising democratic reforms and anti-corruption measures.

Saakashvili's government launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign, firing corrupt officials, reforming the police, and simplifying bureaucracy. The campaign dramatically reduced petty corruption and improved public services, but was criticized for using heavy-handed methods against political opponents.

Saakashvili ordered a military offensive to regain control of the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Russia responded with a full-scale invasion of Georgia, defeating the Georgian military and occupying parts of the country. The war ended with a ceasefire, but Georgia lost control of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Saakashvili's term as President ended, and he was constitutionally barred from running again. His party lost the presidential election to Giorgi Margvelashvili of the Georgian Dream coalition, marking a peaceful transfer of power and the end of Saakashvili's era.

Saakashvili, who had been granted Ukrainian citizenship and appointed governor of Odessa, was arrested in Kyiv during a protest against President Petro Poroshenko. He was accused of aiding a criminal organization and plotting a coup, charges he denied. The arrest highlighted his turbulent post-presidency.