Jordi Pujol vs Martti Ahtisaari

Pujol was arrested and imprisoned for his involvement in Catalan nationalist activities, including organizing a protest during a Francoist event. He served several months in prison.

Pujol founded the CDC, a Catalan nationalist party. It became the dominant political force in Catalonia for decades, advocating for greater autonomy and cultural recognition.

Pujol was a key figure in negotiating and campaigning for the 1979 Statute of Autonomy, which granted Catalonia significant self-government powers. The statute was approved by referendum.

Pujol was elected President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the regional government, after the first democratic elections since the Franco era. He served for 23 consecutive years, until 2003.

Martti Ahtisaari was elected President of Finland, serving a six-year term. His presidency focused on Finland's EU membership, foreign policy, and conflict resolution, establishing him as a global peacemaker.

Ahtisaari was appointed UN Special Envoy for the Kosovo status process. He led negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo, ultimately proposing a plan for supervised independence, which led to Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008.

Ahtisaari mediated peace negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The talks resulted in the Helsinki Accords, ending a 29-year conflict in Aceh province.

Martti Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve international conflicts, including in Kosovo, Namibia, Aceh, and Northern Ireland. The prize recognized his decades of peace mediation work.