Here's How the U.S. Compares to Other Countries on Presidential Term Limits

The idea behind term limits is pretty simple: set some rules so leaders can’t hold onto power forever. Term limits help keep things fresh in government, encourage new ideas, and make sure no one person has too much control. While these rules are a big part of many modern democracies, not every country handles them the same way. The way term limits are used—or sometimes skipped altogether—often depends on a country’s unique political journey, its traditions, and what people expect from their leaders.

A Global Guide to Presidential Term Limits

From the strict two-term tradition in the United States to countries where leaders can hold power indefinitely, the landscape of presidential tenure is complex and ever-changing. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of political term limits for heads of state and government across the world, broken down by continent. By examining these systems, we can gain a better understanding of the different ways nations approach the balance between stability and democratic renewal.

Africa: A Continent of Contrasts

Africa really shows just how all over the map term limits can be. Some countries have clear limits written right into their constitutions, trying to keep things stable and give everyone a fair shot at running the place. In others, though, leaders have found ways to stretch or even toss out these rules when it suits them, so folks can end up staying in power for a very long time. It makes for a lively political scene where there’s always a bit of tension between wanting fresh starts and wanting to hold onto power.

Nations with Two-Term Limits

Plenty of African countries have put two-term limits in place for their top leaders, usually as part of efforts to leave their authoritarian days behind. Most of these rules mean a president gets four or five years per term.

• Nigeria: As a regional powerhouse, Nigeria's adherence to term limits is influential. Its constitution, adopted in 1999, allows the president to serve a maximum of two four-year terms. This rule was a deliberate move to prevent the kind of prolonged military dictatorships that marked much of its post-independence history.
• Ghana: Often cited as a model of democratic stability in West Africa, Ghana has a firm two-term limit for its presidents, each term lasting four years. The peaceful transitions of power since its 1992 constitution have reinforced its democratic credentials.
• Kenya: Following a period of political turmoil, Kenya adopted a new constitution in 2010 that established a strict two-term limit of five years each for the president. This reform was aimed at reducing the high-stakes, winner-take-all nature of its presidential elections.
• South Africa: After the end of apartheid, South Africa's 1996 constitution set a two-term limit for its president. The president is elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term, and this limit has been respected, contributing to the country's democratic consolidation.
• Tanzania: Tanzania has maintained a two-term limit for its president since the reintroduction of a multi-party system. Each term is five years, and the country has seen regular, peaceful transfers of power.
• Zambia: The Zambian constitution limits the president to two five-year terms. The country has experienced several leadership changes through the ballot box, although its political scene remains highly competitive.
• Liberia: After devastating civil wars, Liberia's 1986 constitution implemented a two-term limit for its president, though each term is a lengthy six years. Adherence to this rule is seen as critical for maintaining peace and stability.

Other countries in Africa adhering to a two-term limit include Algeria (five-year terms), Angola (five-year terms), Benin (five-year terms), Botswana (five-year terms), Cape Verde (five-year terms), Mauritania (five-year terms), Mozambique (five-year terms), Namibia (five-year terms), Senegal (five-year terms), Sierra Leone (five-year terms), and Zimbabwe (five-year terms).

Countries with Unlimited or Extended Terms

On the flip side, there are plenty of African countries where term limits don’t really stick—or have been scrapped altogether. In places like these, leaders can end up staying in charge for as long as they want, and it’s not unusual to see the same faces at the top for decades. Moves to ditch term limits usually spark a lot of debate and claims of “constitutional coups,” since they let presidents hold onto power way longer than most folks expected.

• Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni has been in power since 1986. The original two-term limit was removed in 2005, and a presidential age limit of 75 was controversially scrapped in 2017, effectively allowing him to rule for life.
• Cameroon: President Paul Biya, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, has been in office since 1982. A 2008 constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits, allowing him to extend his rule indefinitely through seven-year terms.
• Republic of the Congo: A 2015 referendum allowed President Denis Sassou Nguesso to run for a third consecutive term and changed the term length to five years. The constitution now allows for up to three terms.
• Djibouti: Term limits were abolished in 2010, enabling President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh to continue his rule. He has been in power since 1999.
• Gambia: Under former leader Yahya Jammeh, there were no term limits. While there have been discussions about reintroducing them after his ouster, the current system still allows for unlimited five-year terms.
• Equatorial Guinea: While the constitution technically imposes a two-term limit, it has not been enforced. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled since 1979, making him the world's longest-serving current president.

Transitional and Monarchical Systems

Some countries in Africa are in the middle of big political changes or have different types of government altogether.

• Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Sudan: Following recent military coups, these nations are under transitional governments with no set term limits for their current leaders. The path back to constitutional rule remains uncertain.
• Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, and Morocco: These countries are monarchies. The King serves for life through hereditary succession, though the prime minister, who holds administrative power, typically serves renewable terms with no set limits.

The Americas: A Stronghold of Presidential Limits

When it comes to the Americas, presidential term limits are a pretty big deal—and you can thank the U.S. for setting the trend. Most countries in this part of the world have some kind of rule for how long their leaders can stick around, but the details can really vary. Some places let presidents come back after a break, while others keep things short and sweet with a hard cap. It’s a mix of old habits, cultural expectations, and lessons learned the hard way about giving too much power to one person.

The Two-Term Model: Consecutive and Non-Consecutive

The usual setup in the Americas is a two-term limit, though there’s a lot of variety in how countries handle the details.

• United States: The U.S. Constitution's 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, formally limits the president to two four-year terms. This followed the tradition set by George Washington, which was broken only by Franklin D. Roosevelt's four-term presidency. The limit is absolute, meaning a president who has served two terms can never run again.
• Brazil: The president of Brazil can serve two consecutive four-year terms. After serving two terms, a former president must sit out at least one term before becoming eligible to run again.
• Argentina: Similar to Brazil, Argentina allows for two consecutive four-year presidential terms. A former president can seek a third term after a one-term interval.
• Chile: Chile has a unique system where the president serves a four-year term and cannot be re-elected consecutively. However, a former president is eligible to run again after waiting out one presidential period. This has allowed for leaders like Michelle Bachelet and Sebastián Piñera to serve two non-consecutive terms.
• Uruguay: The Uruguayan constitution also prohibits immediate re-election for a president. A leader must wait five years (one full presidential term) before being eligible to run again.

The Single-Term Presidency

Some countries in Latin America cut things off after just one term to make sure no one gets too settled in the big chair. This “one-and-done” rule is usually a direct response to old-school strongmen who stuck around way too long. It’s all about stopping anyone from locking down power for years on end and keeping the political game open for fresh faces.

• Mexico: Mexico has one of the world's strictest term limits, known as the sexenio. The president is elected for a single six-year term and is barred from ever holding the office again. This rule was enshrined in the constitution after the Mexican Revolution to prevent the emergence of another dictator like Porfirio Díaz.
• Colombia: After a period where two consecutive terms were allowed, Colombia reinstated a single four-year term for its president in 2015. A president is ineligible for re-election.
• Paraguay: The president of Paraguay is limited to a single five-year term and cannot be re-elected. Attempts to amend this rule have been met with significant public protest.
• Guatemala: Like Mexico, Guatemala enforces a strict one-term limit of four years, with no possibility of re-election at any point in the future.

Nations with Relaxed or Abolished Term Limits

Most countries in the Americas stick with term limits, but there are a few places that have gone the other way—usually when a popular leader wants to hold onto power a bit longer. In these countries, rules get changed or dropped so presidents can stay in office way past what used to be allowed.

• Venezuela: In 2009, a constitutional referendum under President Hugo Chávez removed term limits for all public offices, including the presidency. This allowed him, and his successor Nicolás Maduro, to seek re-election indefinitely for six-year terms.
• Nicaragua: President Daniel Ortega, through judicial rulings and constitutional changes, eliminated presidential term limits in 2014. This has enabled him to remain in power continuously since 2007.
• El Salvador: In a highly controversial 2021 ruling, the Supreme Court reinterpreted the constitution to allow for immediate presidential re-election, despite explicit text to the contrary. This paved the way for President Nayib Bukele to run for and win a second consecutive five-year term.

Parliamentary Systems and Constitutional Monarchies

Not every country in the Americas runs on a presidential system, as some follow a totally different playbook when it comes to choosing who’s in charge. In these places, the prime minister (or equivalent) can stick around as long as they keep their party’s support in parliament and keep winning elections. Term limits pretty much don’t exist here, so leadership can change hands quickly, or not at all, depending on how things shake out politically.

• Canada: As a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, Canada has no term limits for its prime minister. The prime minister is the leader of the party with the most support in the House of Commons and can remain in office as long as they maintain that support and win general elections, which are held roughly every four years.
• Jamaica, The Bahamas, Belize: These and other Caribbean nations are also parliamentary systems within the Commonwealth. Their prime ministers have no fixed term limits and serve as long as they command the confidence of their respective parliaments.

Asia: A Mix of Authoritarianism, Democracy, and Monarchy

Asia covers a lot of ground—literally and politically. When it comes to term limits, you’ll find just about every setup imaginable. Some countries have had the same political party or leader running things for years, others are famous for their ancient royal families, and plenty have tried different term limit ideas in their journey toward democracy. It’s a real mix, and the rules about how long someone can stay in charge often tell you a lot about a country’s history and what the people there want from their leaders.

Democracies with Term Limits

A lot of democracies in Asia have set up term limits for their presidents, whether they’re running the show or mainly playing a ceremonial role. These rules are meant to keep power from sticking with one person for too long and to make sure new folks get a shot at leading.

• South Korea: South Korea has a strict single-term limit for its president, who serves for five years. This rule was implemented in its 1987 constitution as a definitive break from the country's history of military dictatorships and is seen as a crucial safeguard of its democracy.
• Indonesia: As the world's third-largest democracy, Indonesia limits its president to two five-year terms. This was a key reform following the fall of the authoritarian Suharto regime in 1998, which had lasted for over 30 years.
• Philippines: The 1987 constitution of the Philippines limits the president to a single six-year term. The vice president, however, can serve up to two consecutive six-year terms. This single-term rule for the president was a direct response to the 21-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos.
• Taiwan: The president of Taiwan is limited to two consecutive four-year terms. This democratic rule has been firmly in place since the country's transition from single-party rule.
• Sri Lanka: The president of Sri Lanka can serve a maximum of two five-year terms. Term limits were briefly removed but reinstated in 2022 following widespread protests and political crisis.

Systems with No Term Limits or Weak Restrictions

In a lot of Asian countries, leaders don’t have to worry much about a time limit—there just aren’t many rules saying when they need to step down. Some can run over and over, sticking around for years on end if they keep winning (or just keep the system in their favor). It’s a setup that makes it possible to see the same folks in charge for decades, especially when there aren’t any serious restrictions holding them back.

• China: In 2018, China's National People's Congress abolished the two-term limit for the presidency, allowing Xi Jinping to rule indefinitely. While the positions of General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission—his two more powerful roles—never had term limits, this constitutional change solidified his long-term grip on all levers of power.
• Russia: While geographically spanning Europe and Asia, Russia's political system is often analyzed in an Asian context of centralized power. Constitutional changes in 2020 reset President Vladimir Putin's previous terms, allowing him to run for two more six-year terms and potentially stay in power until 2036.
• Singapore: As a parliamentary republic, Singapore has no term limits for its prime minister. The People's Action Party (PAP) has been in power since 1959, with leadership transitions occurring smoothly within the party.
• India: In the world's largest democracy, the prime minister has no term limits. They serve as long as their party or coalition commands a majority in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament).
• Japan: Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. The prime minister has no term limits and can serve as long as they maintain the leadership of their party and the confidence of the House of Representatives.
• Kazakhstan: After decades of rule by the same leader, Kazakhstan transitioned to a single seven-year presidential term in 2022. While this is a limit, the long term length is notable.

Monarchies and Theocracies

In some parts of Asia, who gets to be in charge isn’t really up for a public vote—power just stays in the family or with the top religious leader, and that’s that. Kings, emirs, sultans, and supreme leaders can end up with the job for life, passing it on or handing off whenever they decide (or whenever the system says so). There aren’t any real “terms” in these setups—just a lot of tradition and, sometimes, a good dose of ceremony.

• Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Brunei: These nations are absolute or constitutional monarchies where the king, emir, or sultan rules for life. Power is transferred through established lines of succession within the ruling family.
• Iran: Iran is a theocracy where the ultimate authority is the Supreme Leader, who is appointed for life by an Assembly of Experts. The president, who handles the day-to-day administration of the country, is limited to two consecutive four-year terms but is subordinate to the Supreme Leader.
• Thailand and Cambodia: These are constitutional monarchies where the king is the head of state and serves for life, but the prime minister, as head of government, is subject to political processes. Thailand recently introduced an eight-year cumulative limit for its prime minister.

Europe: Parliamentary Dominance and Ceremonial Presidents

When you look at Europe, you’ll see that most countries run things through a parliamentary system. That means the real power usually sits with the prime minister or chancellor, who doesn’t have to worry about term limits—if they keep their party happy and win elections, they can stay in charge for years. The head of state is often just the monarch or a president who handles ceremonies and traditions, and for those presidents, there are usually some rules on how long they can serve.

Parliamentary Systems without Term Limits for Heads of Government

In these countries, prime ministers or chancellors can keep the job as long as they’ve got enough backing in parliament. There’s no set limit, so if they play their cards right, they might stick around for quite a while.

• United Kingdom: The prime minister can theoretically serve indefinitely, provided they remain leader of their party and their party wins general elections, held at least every five years.
• Germany: The chancellor, Germany's head of government, has no term limits. Leaders like Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel served for 16 years each, providing long periods of stability.
• Spain, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway: These and many other European nations operate under a similar parliamentary model. Their prime ministers or equivalents have no constitutional term limits.

Republics with Executive or Semi-Presidential Systems

Some of the bigger European countries do things differently—they actually let people vote directly for presidents who have real power, not just a ceremonial role.

• France: The French president is elected for a five-year term and is limited to two consecutive terms. This system, part of the Fifth Republic, creates a powerful head of state who is also held in check by term limits.
• Portugal: The president of Portugal is limited to two consecutive five-year terms. Though the system is semi-presidential, the prime minister holds significant executive power as well.
• Poland: The Polish president is also limited to two five-year terms. The role is active in foreign policy and as a check on the government.
• Romania: The president of Romania serves a maximum of two five-year terms.

Republics with Ceremonial Presidents and Term Limits

For most European countries that aren’t monarchies, the president’s job is mainly about representing the nation and keeping up with traditions. These presidents usually don’t have a ton of power, and they’re typically capped at two terms before someone else takes over.

• Germany: The federal president is limited to two five-year terms but holds a largely symbolic role.
• Italy: The president serves a seven-year term and can be re-elected, though serving more than one term is rare. The role is primarily to act as a guarantor of the constitution.
• Austria, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, and Croatia: In these countries, the president is popularly elected (or elected by parliament) and serves a limited number of terms, usually two. Their powers are mostly ceremonial, with the prime minister acting as the true head of government.

Oceania: Parliamentary Traditions and Pacific Republics

When it comes to politics in Oceania, most countries follow the British-style parliamentary system, so you’ll see a lot of familiar patterns if you know how things work in the UK. That means parliaments call the shots, and leaders don’t usually have to worry about term limits—as long as they keep winning elections. Still, you’ve got a handful of island republics out here too, each with their own twists and rules about how long someone can stay at the top.

Commonwealth Realms

• Australia and New Zealand: As constitutional monarchies, their head of state is the British monarch, represented by a governor-general. The head of government is the prime minister, who, as in the UK and Canada, has no term limits and serves as long as they lead a majority party in parliament.
• Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu: These Pacific island nations also operate as Commonwealth realms with no term limits for their prime ministers.

Republics in the Pacific

A bunch of the island nations in the Pacific are republics, and most of them give their presidents a set limit on how long they can serve. Usually, that means a couple of terms—and in most cases, these presidents aren’t running the show day-to-day, since their jobs are mostly ceremonial anyway.

• Fiji: The president is limited to two three-year terms and is appointed by the parliament. The role is largely ceremonial.
• Kiribati: The president, known as the Beretitenti, can serve a maximum of three four-year terms.
• Federated States of Micronesia: The president is limited to two consecutive four-year terms.
• Palau: The president is limited to two consecutive four-year terms.
• Vanuatu: The president serves a single five-year term in a mostly ceremonial capacity.

The Nature of Term Limits

Term limits aren’t just some rule tucked away in the constitution—they really show what a country values and how much trust it puts in its leaders. In places where democracy is strong, term limits are a big part of making sure leaders don’t overstay their welcome and that power passes peacefully from one person to the next. But in countries where things are a little shakier or more authoritarian, the fight over term limits can be a real struggle over who gets to call the shots and for how long.

Looking around the world, it’s clear there’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to how long leaders should stay in power. Some countries, like Mexico and South Korea, have really strict single-term limits, often as a reaction to folks who just wouldn’t give up control. Other places, like the UK and Germany, don’t have any term limits at all, but their democracies seem to manage just fine. Then you’ve got spots like Russia, China, and Uganda, where getting rid of term limits is usually a sign leaders want to hang onto power for as long as possible.

Seeing how different countries handle term limits really gives you a feel for what they value in terms of leadership and fairness. The way a country sets (and actually follows) its rules says a lot about how much it cares about things like accountability, healthy competition, and the idea that leadership should get a refresh every so often. It’s all part of the bigger, ever-changing conversation about what makes good government work.