Helmut Kohl vs Tabare Vazquez

Kohl became Chancellor of West Germany after a constructive vote of no confidence removed Helmut Schmidt. He led a coalition of CDU/CSU and FDP, beginning a 16-year tenure that would oversee German reunification.

Kohl negotiated the reunification of East and West Germany with international partners, including the Soviet Union. The Two Plus Four Treaty granted full sovereignty to a unified Germany, which formally occurred on October 3, 1990.

Kohl was a key architect of the Maastricht Treaty, which established the European Union and the single currency, the euro. The euro was introduced as a virtual currency in 1999, with physical notes and coins following in 2002.

Tabaré Vázquez was elected president of Uruguay in the 2004 general election as the Broad Front candidate, defeating the Colorado Party candidate. He became the first leftist president in Uruguayan history.

Vázquez launched the Plan de Emergencia (Emergency Plan), a social assistance program providing cash transfers to impoverished families. The program aimed to reduce poverty and inequality, reaching over 100,000 households.

Vázquez signed the law legalizing abortion in Uruguay in October 2012, making it one of the few Latin American countries to do so. The law allowed abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy under certain conditions.

Vázquez signed the law legalizing same-sex marriage in Uruguay in May 2013, making it the second Latin American country to do so after Argentina. The law granted same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples.

Vázquez was re-elected president in the 2014 general election, serving a second term from 2015 to 2020. His re-election confirmed the Broad Front's continued popularity.