'I am the Jesus Christ of politics': Controversial world leaders in their own words

Whenever Donald Trump launches into a Twitter tirade he is accused of being "unpresidential".

The word conjures an offence against stately Victorian decorum - but some of the rhetoric recently traded on the world stage suggests that the concept may be lost on some statesmen and women.

Trump's status as "leader of the free world" might put in him in the spotlight, but he is far from alone in the pantheon of world leaders unafraid to say what they're really thinking.

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In fact, Trump's rhetoric pales in comparison to some leaders' boasts of corruption, oppression and even murder:

Vladimir Putin

Style: Close-lipped former KGB man with a sense of humour so dry you might miss it entirely.

Most memorable quotes: "I am not a woman, so I don't have bad days."

"I find it hard to imagine that [Trump] ran to a hotel to meet with our girls 'of low social responsibility', although they are without question the best in the world."

Silvio Berlusconi

Style: Gaffe-prone Italian lothario with a penchant for ranking himself among the greats.

Most memorable quotes: "Mussolini never killed anyone, he just sent dissenters abroad for vacation."

"I am the Jesus Christ of politics. I am a patient victim, I sacrifice myself for everyone."

"Only Napoleon did more than I have done. But I am definitely taller."

"I'm leaving this sh**ty country, of which I'm sickened."

Rodrigo Duterte

Style: Tough-talking President of the Philippines, nicknamed The Punisher, whose unpredictable temper and aggressive rhetoric takes some beating.

Most memorable quotes:

"Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now, there is three million drug addicts. I'd be happy to slaughter them."

"I hate corruption… I'm not claiming to be clean. I also stole a lot, but it's all used up."

Charles Taylor

Style: Guerilla turned politician who leaned into his warlord past and subsequently served as President of Liberia until 2003. Currently serving a 50-year sentence for war crimes at HMP Frankland in County Durham.

Most memorable quote: "He killed my ma, he killed my pa, but I will vote for him." (1997 campaign slogan)

Ramzan Kadyrov

Style: Hardline Muslim ruler of Chechnya who has backed honour killings and urged men to stop their wives from using WhatsApp.

Most memorable quote: "Chechen society does not have this phenomenon called non-traditional sexual orientation."

Jose Mujica

Style: Plain-spoken former Uruguayan leader known as the 'pauper president' for his austere lifestyle.

Most memorable quote: [Allegedly on Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner] "This old hag is even worse than the cross-eyed man."

Mujica later denied that the comment, caught on microphone, was a reference to Kirchner.

Robert Mugabe

Style: The sole post-independence President of Zimbabwe, who was once applauded as a revolutionary but has since been reviled for his human rights abuses.

Most memorable quotes: "The only white man you can trust is a dead white man."