Kim Jong-un was promoted to top political and military positions at a rare party meeting last month.

BBC: North Korea talks up Kim Jong-un as likely successor

And the tea party put deficit reduction on the top of the political agenda.

CNN: Why Occupy May Day fizzled

But blazing radical new trails such as allowing multi-candidate elections for top party posts would require extraordinary political daring for a leader still finding his feet.

ECONOMIST: China

Despite Maduro being from Chavez's political party, there will be a strong challenger for Venezuela's top spot.

CNN: SHARE THIS

On the one hand, it appears that he genuinely believes in democratising his party - political power and patronage in the Congress has traditionally flowed from the top, thus thwarting the organic growth of strong local leaders and weakening the party in key states like Uttar Pradesh.

BBC: Is Rahul Gandhi reluctant to become PM?

The new constitution formalises a leadership team at the top of the party responsible for overseeing day-to-day political tactics, which has been effective since the new leader took the reins last year.

BBC: Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood

Mr Thaksin seems to have sensed this shift in the balance: although he used political barons as a shortcut to the top, he was also careful to stock his party with fresh-faced activists and respectable technocrats.

ECONOMIST: Pleasing the voters