Helmut Schmidt vs Santiago Carrillo

Schmidt became Chancellor of West Germany on May 16, 1974, succeeding Willy Brandt. He took office during the 1970s oil crisis and economic recession, inheriting a period of stagflation and high unemployment.

Schmidt implemented austerity measures and energy conservation policies to address the oil crisis. He reduced public spending and promoted nuclear power, but unemployment rose to over one million by 1975.

Schmidt advocated for NATO's dual-track policy of deploying Pershing II and cruise missiles in Western Europe while offering arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union. This decision aimed to counter Soviet SS-20 missiles and sparked massive peace protests in West Germany.

Schmidt lost a constructive vote of no confidence on October 1, 1982, when the Free Democratic Party switched coalition partners to support Helmut Kohl's CDU. This ended his eight-year chancellorship and marked a shift to conservative rule.

During the Spanish Civil War, Carrillo was a leader of the Republican youth organization. He was accused of involvement in the Paracuellos massacres, where thousands of Nationalist prisoners were executed. The extent of his responsibility remains debated.

After the Nationalist victory in the Spanish Civil War, Carrillo went into exile, living in the Soviet Union, France, and other countries. He remained the PCE's leader in exile for nearly four decades.

As Secretary-General of the PCE, Carrillo led the party's legalization and integration into Spain's democratic system. He accepted the monarchy and the democratic constitution, a key step in the transition.

Carrillo publicly endorsed Eurocommunism, a doctrine that rejected Soviet-style communism and accepted democratic pluralism. This distanced the PCE from Moscow and made it acceptable in Western Europe.

Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez legalized the PCE, with Carrillo's acceptance of the monarchy and democratic rules. This ended the party's clandestine status and allowed it to participate in elections.