Take Me To Your Leader!

Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi…some of the leaders radically reshaping today’s world. Who are they and what drives them? Join Hamish Macdonald as he delves into the lives and motives of eight leaders. From autocratic strongmen, to democratic internationalists, from left to right to far right, Take Me To Your Leader! examines the cultural, historical, geographical and personal origins underpinning the ambitions of the people on the world stage. Listen on the ABC listen app. 

Xi Jinping is one of the most powerful leaders in the world today and he could rule for life. But how much do we really know about him? With China’s strict censorship laws, it’s hard to get the full picture. How did he rise to power and what does his power mean for the world? 

She’s lauded as a trailblazer for being Italy’s first female prime minister, but in her youth she also praised Mussolini. It begs the question, is Giorgia Meloni a feminist or a fascist? As we find out in this episode, the answer is not so simple. We hear how Meloni rose to power and what her far-right nationalist agenda will mean for Italy and Europe. 

Vladimir Putin’s built an image of the strong leader, bare chested fishing or riding a horse. A Martial arts expert, former intelligence agent and ruthless leader.But what’s behind the strongman persona? And has he put everything on the line with this current war?  We hear from people who know him.

Israel's veteran leader, Benjamin Netanyahu has served as the country's prime minister longer than anyone else. He's governed on and off for 15 years and has now made a dramatic return to power for a record third time. This time with the help of Israel's ultra-nationalists.He now heads one of the most right-wing governments in Israeli history. What has made King 'Bibi' politically invincible and what does his return aided by the religious far right mean for Israel and the Middle East?

Rishi Sunak is a man of many firsts. He’s the first person of colour to become British PM, the first born to immigrant parents and the first practising Hindu to lead the country and at the age of 42, he’s also the youngest person to take office in more than 200 years.Following a chaotic few years at the top of UK politics, Sunak's appeal may well be him playing the "calm, cool, competent card." 

Sanna Marin became Finland’s third female prime minister at just 34. Her coalition of women-led parties suggest that another kind of politics might be possible.Leading a country with a 1300km border with Russia, Marin finds herself navigating choppy diplomatic and economic waters for Finland, and making the case to other world leaders on taking a tougher line against autocrats.

How did Narendra Modi go from selling tea on railway platforms rise to become the leader of almost 1.4 billion people? He’s a man with big ideas and an even bigger ambition for his country. But with a backstory full of both mythology and secrets, how much do we really know about his plans?

Yevgeny Prigozhin is becoming a figure of huge influence in the world right now. A former petty criminal, hotdog vendor and restaurateur from St Petersburg who went on to build a powerful private army. Prigozhin has been a loyal ally of Putin’s until he turned his sights on Moscow, sparking the biggest crisis in Vladamir Putin’s presidency. 

There’s a lot going on in the world right now; disruption, upheaval, and conflict. Long-running superpowers are teetering while others are emerging.

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy has captured the world’s attention and admiration like few leaders can.  When Russia launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022, the comic actor turned wartime leader became the face of Ukraine’s resistance. He refused offers of evacuation, famously telling Joe Biden he needed ammunition, not a ride.As the Russian bombs rained down, Zelenskyy went out into the streets of Kyiv using social media to talk directly to his people and the world. Rarely has the world seen a leader recording selfies from a city under attack. But his prolific online and social media messaging has helped galvanise widespread support for Ukraine. Now the man who played a president on TV, is in the role of his life.We find out who the man behind the screen and the podium really is from those who know Zelenskyy best.  Guests:Olga Boichak, Lecturer in digital cultures and the director of the Computational Social Science Lab at the University of Sydney David Dodson, Film director and editor who worked with Zelensky for 14 yearsOleh Rybachuk, Former Deputy PM of Ukraine and founder of the Centre of United Actions 

Joe Biden is America’s oldest ever president. He wants to stay in the White House another four years and is now campaigning for a second term. If he wins that term, he’ll be 86-years-old by the time he leaves office.Is he too out of touch as his Republican critics have said, or after 50 plus years in politics, is he far more astute than we think? Importantly, does he have what it takes to repair an increasingly divided America and a potential rematch against Donald Trump? Guests:Kim Hoggard, former White House official in the Reagan and Bush AdministrationsSusan Platt, former Chief of Staff to BidenGabriel Debenedetti, national correspondent at New York Magazine

Ursula von der Leyen is not easy to box. A mother of seven and medical doctor who once lived undercover, under a false identity in London before entering politics, has had a remarkable career. She rose through the ranks in the German parliament in the shadow of Angela Merkel, before being tapped on the shoulder for the president of the European Commission.But according to foreign policy analyst Constanze Stelzenmüller, “heads of state elect commission presidents in the hope that they won't be too powerful in Europe”. So how did Ursula von der Leyen manage to transform the position and become one of the most powerful women in the world?Guests:Constanze Stelzenmüller, director of the Center on the United States and Europe at The Brookings Institution Jacek Rostowski, former Deputy PM of PolandProfessor Claire Annesley, professor of politics and gender studies and Dean of UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture

Emmanuel Macron is a straight-talking, ambitious global figure who wants France to help solve the challenges of our time. But at home, he’s a divisive leader who faces a wave of discontent.So how did Emmanuel Macron start his own party and effectively come from nowhere to win two elections as the youngest president in French history. How will the charismatic centrist storming The Élysée Palace fare as far-right populism sweeps Europe?

Recep Tayip Erdoğan’s maintained power for over 20 years by being all things to all people. Turkey’s president is at once a Western ally and a close friend of Vladimir Putin, a hardline Islamist and a leader that evokes the golden age of the Ottoman Empire. He is adored by his supporters and feared by his critics. So who is he really and what future does he envision for Turkey?  Guests:Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at  The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and author of, The New Sultan: Erdogan and the Crisis of Modern TurkeyMeryem İlayda Atlas, journalist, founding editor of Daily Sabha and a board member of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT)Prof Ihsan Yilmaz, research chair in Islamic Studies and Intercultural Dialogue at the Alfred Deakin Institute

Ferdinand Marcos Jr, better known as “Bongbong”, is the president of the Philippines. His popularity skyrocketed in recent years, particularly among Gen Z, thanks to his stardom on tiktok. But it was almost 40 years ago that he fled the country as a young governor when his father’s authoritarian and corrupt government was overturned in a dramatic coup. 

Democracy is under threat more than ever right now. Around the world, we’re seeing populism and nationalism taking hold and strongman leaders grabbing power. So, is this the era of dictators and demagogues? Who are they and what makes them so appealing? Our third season dives into the lives and times of seven autocrats from North Korea to Gaza to Hungary.   Host: Hamish MacdonaldProducers: Zoe Ferguson and Linda Lopresti Executive Producer: Amruta Slee Sound Engineer: John Jacobs

He’s more ruthless than his father and more chilling than his grandfather, and his regime has been called a "model dictatorship". Meet North Korea's reclusive Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un, and enter his world of missiles, murders, oppression and secrecy. Guests: Anna Fifield - Asia-Pacific editor for The Washington Post Hyun-seung Lee - North Korean defector and former Army Special Forces soldier In Bum Chun - Retired South Korean Army lieutenant general Producers: Zoe Ferguson and Linda Lopresti Executive Producer: Amruta Slee Sound Engineer: John Jacobs

Believed to be ‘the mastermind’ behind the October 7th attack on southern Israel, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in an IDF attack in Gaza in October 2024. So who was he and how did he rise to power?Three observers, including one who has met Sinwar, grapple with the factors that led to the man and the leader he became.This episode was recorded before Yahya Sinwar was killed.Guests:Ben Wedeman - CNN senior international correspondent Khaled Hroub - Professor of Middle Eastern studies at Northwestern University in Qatar Michael Koubi - Former chief interrogator for Shin Bet, Israel's security service Producers: Zoe Ferguson and Linda Lopresti Executive Producer: Amruta Slee Sound Engineer: John Jacobs

He’s Indonesia’s hard man of politics - Prabowo Subianto is a former military leader who stands accused of human rights abuses. But in the latest election campaign he pitched himself as a cute, dancing Grandpa.Now he’s the country’s newest president. So, what kind of leader will he be?Guests:Yoes Kenawas - Research Fellow at the Atma Jaya Catholic University in Jakarta Dr Jemma Purdey - Fellow at the Australia-Indonesia Centre at Monash University Geoff Thompson - Former ABC foreign correspondent Producers: Zoe Ferguson and Linda Lopresti Executive Producer: Amruta Slee Sound Engineer: John Jacobs