Hover overClick on a country for details.
Political Term Limits by Country 2024
Most countries that have elected leaders have some term limits for the holders of official offices of the President and Prime Minister. The countries that have a monarch (king, queen, or both) as the ruler who is also the head of state are included on this list only if there is an official Prime Minister with some term limit.
Country | Term Limits |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Chief Executive - 5 years ad hoc. | President - Two 5-year terms. |
| Albania | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Albanian Parliament, whose terms are four years. |
| Algeria | President - Two 5-year terms, as per the 2016 constitution reform. |
| Angola | President - Two 5-year terms, as per the 2021 constitution reform. |
| Argentina | Deputies - Unlimited 4-year terms. | President - Two consecutive 4-year terms. Every former president who has already served two consecutive terms has to wait one complete 4-year term, after which they can be re-elected for two more consecutive 4-year terms. | Senators - Unlimited 6-year terms. | Vice-President - Same as President. |
| Armenia | President - One 7-year term. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the National Assembly, whose terms are five years. |
| Australia | Governor-General - No term limits, but traditionally serve for one 5-year term. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the House of Representatives, whose terms are three years. |
| Austria | Chancellor - No direct term limit, but must maintain support from the National Council, whose terms are five years. | President - Two 6-year terms. If the incumbent president loses their re-election, they become ineligible to be re-elected in future contests. |
| Azerbaijan | President - Unlimited 7-year terms. |
| Bangladesh | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No term limit. |
| Barbados | President - Two 4-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the House of Assembly, whose terms are five years. |
| Belarus | President - Two 5-year terms. |
| Belgium | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Chamber of Representatives, whose terms are five years. |
| Belize | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the House of Assembly, whose terms last five years. |
| Benin | President - Two 5-year terms, as per the 1956 constitution reform. |
| Bolivia | President - Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2017. | Vice President - Unlimited 5-year terms. |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Chairman of the Council of Ministers - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the House of Representatives, whose terms are four years. | Presidency members - Two 4-year terms, reeligible after four years. |
| Botswana | President - Two 5-year terms, as per the 1996 constitution reform. |
| Brazil | President, Vice President - Two consecutive 4-year terms. |
| Bulgaria | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the National Assembly, whose terms are four years. |
| Burkina Faso | President - No set terms (Transitional). |
| Burundi | President - Two 7-year terms, since 2018 constitutional reform. |
| Cambodia | King - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No term limit. |
| Cameroon | President - Unlimited 7-year terms, since 2008 constitutional reform. |
| Canada | Governor General - No set terms; appointed by monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. Traditionally serves for one 5-year term alternating between anglophone and francophone appointees. | Premier - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support of provincial or territorial assemblies, whose terms last five years. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the House of Commons, whose terms last four years. |
| Cape Verde | President - Two 5-year terms, third term only after 5 years. | Prime Minister - No term limits. |
| Central African Republic | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2015 constitutional reform. |
| Chad | President - No set terms (Transitional). |
| Chile | President - Unlimited non-consecutive 4-year terms. |
| China | General Secretary - Unlimited 5-year terms. | President and Vice President - Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2018 constitutional reform. | Premier - Two consecutive 5-year terms (Two consecutive terms of National People's Congress session). |
| Colombia | President and Vice President - One 4-year term. |
| Comoros | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2019 constitutional reform. |
| Costa Rica | President - Unlimited non-consecutive 4-year terms. |
| Croatia | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Sabor, whose terms are four years. |
| Cuba | First Secretary - Two 5-year terms. | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - Two 5-year terms. |
| Cyprus | President - Two consecutive 5-year terms. |
| Czech Republic | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Chamber of Deputies, whose terms are four years. |
| Denmark | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Folketing, whose terms are four years. |
| Djibouti | President - Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2010 constitutional reform. |
| Dominican Republic | President and Vice President - Two 4-year terms. |
| DR Congo | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2005 constitutional referendum. |
| Ecuador | President and Vice President - Two 4-year terms. |
| Egypt | President - Two 6-year terms, since 2019 constitutional referendum. | Prime Minister - No term limits. |
| El Salvador | President and Vice President - One 5-year term. |
| Equatorial Guinea | President - Two 7-year terms, since 2011 constitutional reform. |
| Eritrea | President - Two 5-Year terms, since 1993 constitutional reform. |
| Estonia | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Riigikogu, whose terms are four years. |
| Eswatini | King - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - Unlimited 5-year terms since 2005 constitutional reform. |
| Ethiopia | President - Two 6-year terms, since 1987 constitutional reform. | Prime Minister - No term limits. |
| Fiji | President - Two 3-year terms. |
| Finland | President - Two 6-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Finnish Parliament, whose terms are four years. |
| France | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2008 constitutional reform. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the National Assembly, whose terms are five years. |
| Gabon | President - Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2023 constitutional reform. |
| Gambia | President - Unlimited 5-year terms, since 1996 constitutional reform. |
| Georgia | President - Two terms: 6 years (2018-2024) 5 years (2024-present). | Prime Minister - No set term limit. |
| Germany | Chancellor - No direct term limit, but must maintain support of the Bundestag, whose terms are four years. | President - Two 5-year terms. |
| Ghana | President - Two 4-year terms, since 1992 constitutional referendum. |
| Greece | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Hellenic Parliament, whose terms are four years. |
| Guatemala | President - One 4-year term. | Vice President - Unlimited non-consecutive 4-year terms. |
| Guinea | President - No set terms (Transitional) | Prime Minister - No term limits. |
| Guinea Bissau | President - Two 5-year terms, as per the 1996 constitution reform. | Prime Minister - No term limits. |
| Guyana | President - Two 5-year terms. |
| Haiti | President - Two non-consecutive 5-year terms. |
| Honduras | President and Vice President - One 4-year term. |
| Hong Kong | Chief Executive - Two consecutive 5-year terms. |
| Hungary | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the National Assembly, whose terms are four years. |
| Iceland | President - Unlimited 4-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Allthing, whose terms are four years. |
| India | President - Unlimited 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support of the Indian Parliament, whose terms are five years. |
| Indonesia | President and Vice President - Two 5-year terms. |
| Iran | President - Two consecutive and on non-consecutive 4-year terms. | Supreme Leader - No term limits. |
| Iraq | President - Two 4-year terms. | Prime Minister - Unlimited 4-year terms. |
| Ireland | President - Two 7-year terms. | Taoiseach (Prime Minister) - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Dáil, whose terms are five years. |
| Israel | President - One 7-year term. | Prime Minister - Unlimited undefined terms. However, if terms exceed seven years, PM must sit out a term to become eligible for re-election. (Rules established 2001). |
| Italy | President - Unlimited 7-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support of both Houses of Parliament, whose terms are five years. |
| Ivory Coast | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2016 constitutional reform. |
| Jamaica | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - Unlimited 5-year terms. |
| Japan | Emperor - No terms (hereditary succession). | Member of the House of Councillors - Unlimited 6-year terms. | Member of the House of Representatives - Unlimited maximum 4-year terms. | Prime Minister - Unlimited 4-year terms. |
| Kazakhstan | President - One 7-year term (2022–present).Two 5-year terms (Exception for the first President) (1991-2022). |
| Kenya | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2010 Constitution (except after succeeding to the Presidency and serving for more than two and a half years, in which case only one subsequent five-year term is permitted). | Deputy President - Same as President. |
| Kiribati | President and Vice President - Three 4-year terms. |
| Kyrgyzstan | President - Two 5-year term. |
| Laos | General Secretary - Unlimited 5-year terms. | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - Two 5-year terms. |
| Latvia | President - Two 4-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Saeima, whose terms are four years. |
| Lebanon | President - Unlimited non-consecutive 6-year terms. | Prime Minister - No term limit. |
| Lesotho | King - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - Unlimited 5-year terms. |
| Liberia | President - Two 6-year terms, since 1986 constitutional referendum. |
| Libya | Presidential Council - No set terms (Transitional). |
| Liechtenstein | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Landtag, whose terms are four years. |
| Lithuania | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Seimas, whose terms are four years. |
| Luxembourg | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Chamber of Deputies, whose terms are five years. |
| Macau | Chief Executive - Two consecutive 5-year terms. | Legislative Assembly - Unlimited 4-year terms. |
| Madagascar | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1992 constitutional referendum. |
| Malawi | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1995 constitutional referendum. |
| Malaysia | Monarch - Unlimited 5-year terms, but because the 9 Sultans of the Malayan states (from which the Monarch is chosen) rotate each term, the unlimited 5-year terms are de facto unlimited non-consecutive 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No term limit. |
| Maldives | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1998. |
| Mali | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1992 constitutional referendum. |
| Malta | President - President - One 5-year term. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Maltese Parliament, whose terms are five years. |
| Marshall Islands | President - Two 4-year terms. |
| Mauritania | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1991 constitutional referendum. |
| Mauritius | President - Unlimited 5-year terms, since 1991 constitutional reform. | Prime Minister - No term limits. |
| Mexico | President - One 6-year term (sexenio). | Senate - Two 6-year terms (since 2018). |
| Micronesia | President and Vice President - Two 4-year terms. |
| Moldova | President - Two 4-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Moldovian Parliament, whose terms are four years. |
| Mongolia | President - One 6-year term (Two 4-year terms until 2021). | Prime Minister - One 4-year term. |
| Montenegro | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Montenegrin Parliament, whose terms are four years. |
| Morocco | King - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - Unlimited 5-year terms since 2011 constitutional reform. |
| Mozambique | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2004 constitutional reform. |
| Namibia | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1999 constitutional reform. |
| Nauru | President - Two 3-year terms. |
| Netherlands | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - Unlimited 4-year terms, but PM must maintain support from the House of Representatives, whose terms are four years. |
| New Zealand | Governor-General - No term limits, but traditionally serve for one 5-year term. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the House of Representatives, whose terms are three years. |
| Nicaragua | President and Vice President - Unlimited 5-year terms. |
| Niger | President - No set terms (Transitional). |
| Nigeria | President - Two 4-year terms, since 1999 constitutional reform. |
| North Korea | General Secretary - No set limit. | Premier - Unlimited 5-year terms. | President of State Affairs - Unlimited 5-year terms. |
| North Macedonia | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Assembly of North Macedonia, whose terms are four years. |
| Norway | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Storting, whose terms are four years. |
| Pakistan | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Pakistan Parliament, whose terms are five years. |
| Palau | President and Vice President- Two 4-year terms. |
| Panama | President and Vice President - Two non-consecutive 5-year terms. |
| Paraguay | President and Vice President - One 5-year term. |
| Peru | President and Vice President - Unlimited non-consecutive 5-year terms. |
| Philippines | President - One 6-year term. | Representatives of the House - Three consecutive 3-year terms. | Senators - Two consecutive 6-year terms. | Vice President - Two consecutive 6-year terms. | Other local govt. officials - Three consecutive 3-year terms. |
| Poland | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Sejm, whose terms are four years. |
| Portugal | President - Two 5-year terms. They can be re-elected after five years out of office. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Assembly of the Republic, whose terms are less than four years. |
| Republic of the Congo | President - Three 5-year terms, since 2015 constitutional referendum. |
| Romania | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, whose terms are less than four years. |
| Russia | President - Two 6-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the President and State Duma, whose terms are six and five years respectively. | Note that Russia has changed its constitution in the past to enable current President Vladomir Putin to remain in office, and could do so again. |
| Rwanda | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2015 constitutional reform. |
| Samoa | Chief of State - Two 5-year terms since 2019. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit. |
| San Marino | Captain-Regent - Unlimited non-consecutive 6-month terms, but an outgoing Captain Regent of San Marino must wait for a minimum of three years until they can be elected again. |
| Sao Tome and Principe | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2003 constitution reform | Prime Minister - No term limits. |
| Senegal | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2016 constitutional reform. |
| Serbia | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the National Assembly, whose terms are four years. |
| Seychelles | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2016 constitutional reform. |
| Sierra Leone | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1991 constitutional referendum. |
| Singapore | President - Unlimited 6-year terms. | Prime Minister - No term limit. |
| Slovakia | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the National Council, whose terms are four years. |
| Slovenia | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the National Assembly, whose terms are four years. |
| Solomon Islands | Governor-General - Two 5-year terms. |
| Somalia | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1991 constitutional referendum. |
| South Africa | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1996 constitutional referendum. |
| South Korea | President - One 5-year term. | Prime Minister - No term limit. |
| South Sudan | President - No set terms (Transitional). |
| Spain | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the College of Deputies, whose terms are four years. |
| Sri Lanka | President - Two 5-year terms since 2015. | Prime Minister - No term limit. |
| Sudan | President - No set terms (Transitional). |
| Suriname | President and Vice President - Unlimited 5-year terms. |
| Sweden | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Riksdag, whose terms are four years. |
| Switzerland | Federal Council - Unlimited 4-year terms. | President of the Confederation - Unlimited non-consecutive 1-year terms. |
| Syria | President - Two 7-year terms. |
| Taiwan | President and Vice President - Two consecutive 4-year terms, since 1994. | Members of Legislative Yuan - Unlimited 4-year terms (since 2008). | Local government offices - 4-year terms, either unlimited or capped at two consecutive depending upon position. |
| Tajikistan | President - Two 7-year terms (Exception for Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation). |
| Tanzania | President - Two 5-year terms, since 1977 constitutional reform. |
| Thailand | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - Two 4-year terms. |
| Timor Leste | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No term limits. |
| Togo | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2019 constitutional reform. |
| Tonga | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). |
| Trinidad and Tobago | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - Unlimited 5-year terms. |
| Tunisia | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2014 constitutional referendum. |
| Turkey | Grand National Assembly of Turkey - Unlimited 5-year terms. | President - Two 5-year terms. |
| Uganda | President - Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2005 constitutional reform. |
| Ukraine | President - Two 5-year terms. | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the Verkhovna Rada, whose terms are five years. |
| United Kingdom | Monarch - No set terms (hereditary succession). | Prime Minister - No direct term limit, but PM must maintain support from the House of Commons, whose terms are five years. |
| United States | Senator - Unlimited 6-year terms. | President - Two 4-year terms (except Vice President or other official who succeeded to the Presidency mid-term and served more than two years, in which case only one subsequent four-year term is permitted). Whether presidents who have served two terms are eligible to then serve as vice-president (and potentially succeed to the presidency again) is unclear. | Representatives - Unlimited 2-year terms. | Vice President - Unlimited 4-year terms. |
| Uruguay | President and Vice President - Unlimited non-consecutive 5-year terms. |
| Uzbekistan | President - Two 7-year terms, since 2023 constitutional reform. |
| Vanuatu | President - One 5-year term. |
| Vatican City | Pope - Lifetime term. | Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church - No set term. Holds office until pope who appointed him either dismisses him or leaves office. | Cardinal Secretary of State - Same as Camerlengo. | College of Cardinals - Lifetime term, though members older than 80 do not vote. | Dean of College of Cardinals - Two 5-year terms unless retiring or dismissed by pope. | Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State - Same as Camerlengo. |
| Venezuela | President - Unlimited 6-year terms, since 2009 constitutional referendum. | Vice President - No fixed limit. |
| Vietnam | President, Vice President, General Secretary, and Prime Minister - Unlimited 5-year terms (in practice two 5-years terms). |
| Western Sahara | President - No set terms (in exile). |
| Zambia | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2006 constitutional reform. |
| Zimbabwe | President - Two 5-year terms, since 2013 constitutional referendum. |
showing: 174 rows