Gerard Batten vs Marc Ravalomanana

Batten was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for London in 2004, serving until 2019. He was known for his eurosceptic views and opposition to the Lisbon Treaty, and was a vocal critic of the European Union.

Gerard Batten was elected leader of UKIP, succeeding Henry Bolton. His leadership marked a shift toward a more hardline anti-Islam stance, which led to internal splits and the departure of several senior party figures.

Batten appointed far-right activist Tommy Robinson as an advisor to UKIP, a move that was widely condemned and led to further internal party conflict. The decision was seen as an attempt to appeal to anti-Islam voters but alienated moderate members.

Batten resigned as UKIP leader after a poor performance in the 2019 European Parliament elections, where UKIP lost all its seats. His tenure was marked by declining party membership and electoral collapse.

Ravalomanana pursued free-market economic reforms, privatizing state-owned enterprises and encouraging foreign investment. His policies led to rapid economic growth, but also increased inequality and poverty.

Marc Ravalomanana won the presidential election against Didier Ratsiraka, but the results were disputed. After a political crisis and military support, Ravalomanana assumed power, ending Ratsiraka's rule.

Ravalomanana won a second term in the presidential election with 54.8% of the vote. His victory was seen as a mandate for his economic policies, but opposition grew over his authoritarian tendencies.

Ravalomanana was overthrown in a coup led by Andry Rajoelina, the mayor of Antananarivo. The coup followed months of protests and political crisis, and Ravalomanana went into exile in South Africa.