George Papandreou. The Greek Prime Minister lost his job over the Greek debt crisis but not before he had struck a blow for democracy. Faced with mounting pressure to accept what many saw as draconian austerity measures he said, “OK, but only if it goes to a referendum”.

He remains one of the few European leaders to have risked letting his people decide their future regarding the euro. The referendum never took place after the EU imposed a technocrat government on Greece, but the statement remains.

Daily Telegraph