Nikol Pashinyan vs Selahattin Demirtas

Pashinyan led a series of peaceful protests against the long-serving Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, who was accused of clinging to power. The protests, known as the Velvet Revolution, forced Sargsyan to resign, and Pashinyan was elected Prime Minister by parliament.

Following the Velvet Revolution, Pashinyan was elected Prime Minister of Armenia by a parliamentary vote. His election marked a shift towards a more democratic and reformist government, with promises to tackle corruption and strengthen the rule of law.

Pashinyan's government faced a full-scale war with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The 44-day war ended with a Russian-brokered ceasefire that saw Armenia cede significant territories it had controlled since the 1990s. The defeat triggered a political crisis in Armenia.

Following the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the Armenian military issued a statement demanding Pashinyan's resignation, which he denounced as a coup attempt. He dismissed the chief of the general staff and mobilized supporters, ultimately retaining power amid mass protests.

Demirtas co-founded the HDP, a pro-Kurdish and left-wing party in Turkey. The party aimed to represent Kurdish interests and promote democratic rights, becoming a major political force.

Demirtas ran as the HDP candidate in Turkey's first direct presidential election. He won 9.8% of the vote, coming third behind Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.

Demirtas was arrested on charges of terrorism and propaganda, accused of links to the PKK. He remained in prison despite international calls for his release, becoming a symbol of political repression.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Demirtas's detention violated his rights and ordered his release. Turkey did not comply, leading to further international condemnation.