This year the people who run the world will change—and so could the ideas they espouse

AMONG the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Britain's David Cameron is the only leader who seems (more or less) certain of still being in power at the end of the year. Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy face presidential elections which they may well lose. Dmitry Medvedev has already ceded the Russian presidency back to Vladimir Putin, but recent protests in Moscow and elsewhere will make the election interesting, even if the result is not in doubt. Meanwhile in China Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao are due to prepare the handover in early 2013 of the presidency and prime ministership to Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang. Beyond the big powers, shifts at the top that could have wider repercussions are also on the cards in Venezuela and Taiwan. All this change will come with a good deal of ideological conflict too. See full article.