Khieu Samphan vs Marc Ravalomanana

Khieu Samphan was appointed President of the State Presidium (head of state) of Democratic Kampuchea. He served as the public face of the Khmer Rouge regime while Pol Pot held real power.

After the Vietnamese invasion, Khieu Samphan fled to Thailand and continued to lead the Khmer Rouge's political and military resistance. He remained a key figure in the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea.

Khieu Samphan was arrested by the ECCC for crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes. He was the last senior Khmer Rouge leader to be arrested.

Khieu Samphan was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes by the ECCC. He received a life sentence for his role in the Khmer Rouge's atrocities.

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.