Han Kuo-yu vs Konstantinos Karamanlis

Han Kuo-yu, a relatively unknown KMT politician, was elected Mayor of Kaohsiung, a traditional DPP stronghold. His populist campaign, focused on economic revival and closer ties with China, won him a landslide victory and made him a national political figure.

Han Kuo-yu won the KMT primary and became the party's candidate for the 2020 presidential election. He campaigned on a platform of economic growth and cross-strait engagement. He lost to incumbent Tsai Ing-wen by a significant margin, receiving 38% of the vote.

Han Kuo-yu was recalled as Mayor of Kaohsiung in a recall election, the first such successful recall of a mayor in Taiwanese history. The recall was driven by dissatisfaction with his performance and his decision to run for president while serving as mayor.

Han Kuo-yu was elected Speaker of the Legislative Yuan after the KMT became the largest party in the 2024 legislative elections. This marked a political comeback after his recall, positioning him as a key figure in Taiwan's legislature.

Karamanlis founded the National Radical Union (ERE), a conservative political party. The party dominated Greek politics for the next decade, implementing economic development programs and pursuing NATO integration.

Karamanlis signed the London and Zurich Agreements, which established the independence of Cyprus as a bi-communal republic. The agreements were controversial but ended the Cyprus Emergency and created the modern Cypriot state.

After losing the 1963 elections, Karamanlis went into self-imposed exile in Paris. He remained there for 11 years, refusing to participate in Greek politics during the military junta, maintaining his distance from the dictatorship.

After the fall of the junta, Karamanlis returned from exile to lead the transition to democracy. He formed a national unity government, legalized political parties, and called elections, restoring democratic institutions in Greece.

Karamanlis held a referendum on the monarchy, which resulted in its abolition and the establishment of the Third Hellenic Republic. He then became the first President of the new republic, serving from 1980 to 1985.

Karamanlis successfully negotiated Greece's accession to the European Economic Community (EEC), which was finalized in 1981. This integration anchored Greece in Western Europe and provided economic and political benefits.