Indonesian president Joko Widodo tells us how he navigates hardline groups, political opponents and speed bumps.

Paraguay has been blighted by dictatorship, corruption and mismanagement. As the country goes to the polls will any candidate deliver real change? Many believe it’s now or never.

A sea change in Portugal, Poland is on reputation watch, former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili eyes a political comeback in Ukraine and we meet Hisyar Ozsoy of the pro-Kurd Peoples’ Democratic party.

Montréal’s first woman mayor is using the city’s economic upswing to drive socially minded change. But only months into the job she’s found herself in storms of protest – and deep snow.

South Korea’s president Moon Jae-in has been caught in the verbal crossfire between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un – but quietly got his way and delivered a diplomatic triumph. And he still has time to watch TV with his cat…

New Zealand makes it harder to get into the country, while Finland tries to get people back to work.

Obama’s right-hand man talks Trump and assesses the Democrats’ chances come 2020. Is he feeling hopeful?

Seoul’s mayor is a man who combines data analysis and participatory democracy as, bit by bit, he goes about giving his city a facelift. Park Won-soon tells us how it’s done.

Cape Verde’s PM tells us why small states have it better, plus Honduran press freedom under threat.

Belgium has opened an impressive new embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But this soft-power flourish will struggle to repair relations with the old colonial master – especially when the DRC is set on a worrying…

The former Brazilian president was a phenomenon before his fall from grace. But with elections approaching, is there one more twist in the tale of Lula?

Malaysia’s sporting MP and why small states should always behave like small states (apparently).

Perched above the clouds, tiny San Marino has no airport or railway station but it does have 17 centuries of national history. With its bird’s-eye view of the world, its aloof attitude to foreign affairs is understandable…

Digital innovation and streamlined services have made Estonia one of Europe’s most welcoming countries. Here the president discusses her nation’s winning streak – and its difficult neighbour.

How do you do foreign affairs when nobody recognises your country? Plus: why the US is in the year of the infallible mayor.