In the states regulated by the constitution, the principle of the change of power is prescribed. In most countries, the president, according to the norms of the basic law, cannot hold his office for more than two terms. During the Second World War, Americans were forced, in violation of the constitution, to make an exception. The people of the United States trusted Franklin Roosevelt four times as leader of the nation. But let's look into the recent past and see what other countries of the world the presidential terms were reset to, for various reasons and circumstances.
1
Burkina Faso
In the photo: Blaise Compaore (left) and George W. Bush Jr. (on right)
In 1987, as a result of a coup d'état, the legitimate ruler of the country of Sankara was brutally murdered and headed by Blaise Compaoré.
In 1991, the people in a referendum adopted a new fundamental law, according to which the head of state is elected for seven years, and one person can not hold office more than two times. In 2000, the term of the presidency was reduced from 7 to 5 years, and the first term of Compaoré was canceled.
In 2005 and 2010, Compaore became ruler again. There was no choice then, because he was the only one who came forward. In 2015, Compaoré attempted to amend the fundamental law, thereby provoking popular action throughout the country. Popular anger forced the dictator to urgently leave the country.
Did you know that Burkina Faso is one of the landlocked countries in Africa?
2
Belarus
In the photo: Alexander Lukashenko
Source: Kremlin.ru / CC BY
The whole world knows about Lukashenko’s leadership style. He used to personally control everything. And, as they say, to keep everything in "hedgehogs." He first became the head of the Republic of Belarus in 1994, and then several times initiated constitutional changes that allow him to remain in the chair. Lukashenko conducts his policy, ignoring opposition protests and criticism of Western leaders.
In 2001, Lukashenko again became president, and in 2004, an article on limiting the term of the presidency was removed from the constitution. This is how the leader of Belarus takes his post for the fifth time.
3
Ukraine
In the photo: Leonid Kuchma
Source: Adminіstratsiya President of Ukraine / CC BY
In Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, seeing the political crisis looming in the country, did not participate in the 2004 elections. Although the Constitutional Court nullified his first term in office from 1994-1999.
The first time Kuchma won the presidential race Kravchuk, and in 1999 his opponent was the communist Simonenko. The deadline was due to the adoption in Ukraine in 1996 of a new constitution.
The new basic law allowed the current ruler to take part in the 2004 elections, but Leonid Kuchma got the opportunity, but did not begin to run for a new term. The government relied on the prime minister, and Viktor Yanukovych was nominated as a candidate.
4
Venezuela
In the photo: Hugo Chavez
The cancellation of dates was initiated by the current president, Hugo Chavez, who first took office in 1999. In 2000, they adopted a new constitution and new elections, in which Chavez again headed the state.
In the subsequent elections held in 2006, Chavez becomes president again, and in 2009 he announces his desire to run again and head Venezuela until 2030.
In the 2013 elections, Chavez again receives the majority of votes, but his death in March 2013 did not allow him to take office 4 times in a row.
According to our rating on thebiggest.ru, Venezuela is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Follow the link to see the full list.
5
Bolivia
In the photo: Evo Morales
Source: Simon Wedege / CC BY
In 2005, the charismatic and unpredictable Evo Morales became the leader of the South American country. In 2009, Bolivia adopted an updated constitution. New elections were held, in which Morales won again.
In 2013, a law was passed according to which the first term of the presidency of Morales was nullified, as a new constitution began to operate in the country. The current president was admitted to the 2014 elections and won again.
Despite the fact that at a referendum, the people of Bolivia did not support the abolition of restrictions on the board, in 2019 Morales again became president for the fourth time in fact. Mass protests began in Bolivia, and Morales fled the country to save freedom, and maybe life.
6
Burundi
In the photo: Pierre Nkurunziza
In 2005, Pierre Nkurunziza, by parliamentary decision, became president of the East African country. Five years later, the first nationwide presidential election took place in a small state and Nkuruiziza again celebrated the victory.
There were seven candidates in the first election, but six of them unexpectedly refused to participate and Pierre was the only one. Despite the ban, he participated in the 2015 elections and again became president of Burundi.
In 2018, the presidency was canceled under the new constitution, but Nkuruiziza did not participate in the 2020 elections, and died on June 8, 2020. His term expired in August.
7
Egypt
In the photo: Abdul-Fattah Khalil
The process of zeroing and the Egyptian Republic did not pass by. In 2014, Abdul-Fatah Al-Sisi was elected President of the African state.
The vast majority of voters, almost 98%, voted for the incumbent president in 2018. A year after taking office in Egypt, new laws were adopted that extend the terms of office of the leader of the state.
Constitutional reforms also nullified the two terms of the presidency of Abdul-Fatah Al-Sisi, allowing him to run for office in the next two elections. According to the constitution, they will be held in 2024, and then in 2030.
8
Kazakhstan
Postage stamp with the image of Nursultan Nazarbayev
The leader of the country, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is among the leaders by the length of time in power in the post-Soviet space. He headed the republic in the late 1980s, and in 1991 became the first president.
In 1995, the people of Kazakhstan in a referendum entrusted their leader to rule the state until 2000. In all elections, Nazarbayev won, and the Constitutional Court explained the right to occupy this position bypassing the constitution.
In 2015, Nazarbayev became president for the fifth time, but in 2019, on a personal initiative, resigned from power, remaining the leader of the ruling party.
9
Kyrgyzstan
In the photo: Askar Akayev (left) and former US President George W. Bush (right)
⚠️ To prevent multiple comments about the frequent use of the images of US presidents in our article, we will answer that thebiggest editors were unable to find other more successful photographs of some presidents that are allowed to be published without permission of the copyright holders.
The East, as everyone knows, is a delicate matter, and there are always its own nuances. This also applies to issues of power. After independence, Askar Akayev becomes president.
The people in a referendum confirmed the legality of his election, and in 1995 again gave him their votes. In the early 1990s, a number of amendments were made to the basic law of Kyrgyzstan, which made it possible for Akayev to once again run for president.
And so it happened. In 2000, he again became the first person in Kyrgyzstan. But in 2005, such a trick did not work. As a result of the Tulip Revolution, Akayev was forced to flee and abandon his claims to power. Now lives in Russia.
10
Peru
In the photo: Alberto Fujimori
In the 1990 and 1995 elections, Alberto Fujimori became the leader of Peru. Attempts to stay in power by nullifying the deadlines brought Fujimori to prison.
Desiring to preserve the powers of the president, in 1996 he pressed Congress, which nullified his term in office. This caused opposition discontent, but protests quickly suppressed.
In 2000, for the third time in a row, Fujimori took over as president. Mass protests began in the country, and the president fled to Japan. He was extracted in 2007, and a Peruvian court sentenced him to 25 years in prison for violating Peru’s constitution and laws.
11
Uzbekistan
In the photo: Islam Karimov (right) and 68th US Secretary of State John Kerry (left)
The collapse of the USSR did not bring new political leaders to the countries of Central Asia. The first president was Islam Karimov. With the support of the legislature, the term of office was extended to 10 years.
When the time came to hold the next elections, they were canceled, and in 2002 the articles of the main law were changed. Karimov’s term of office was again extended, already in 2007. Without any explanation, he again nominated himself and again, for the third time, to become the leader of Uzbekistan.
In 2015, 90% of the country's citizens again voted for Karimov. But, having not served his full term, Karimov died in 2016.
12
Senegal
In the photo: Abdoulay Wad (left) and George W. Bush (right)
Another African country where the president tried to hold office longer than the due date. At the turn of the century, Abdoulay Wad was elected the head of a small Senegal.
An inauguration took place, and then they adopt the constitution, and the term of the presidency of Wad is extended to 7 years. In 2007 he won again with a big advantage. In 2009, despite opposition from the opposition, the presidency was “legally” nullified.
Wad, and he is already 85 years old, takes part in new elections, but loses them. The people of Senegal did not support "zeroing."
13
Russia
In the photo: Vladimir Putin.
Source: Kremlin.ru / CC BY
The first attempt to stay at the head of the country more than necessary was made by Boris Yeltsin, but he was forbidden for the third time to apply for the presidency.
In 1999, Yeltsin resigned as president, and in March next year, Vladimir Putin was elected president. As in most countries, Russia also spells out a rule on limiting the term of the presidency. But the law had the phrase "no more than two terms in a row." This was used in the 2012 elections, when Putin became president after Dmitry Medvedev.
Under the new amendments to the 1993 constitution, adopted in 2020, the president can run for president at the next election of the head of the Russian Federation.
Summarize
One of the important factors of democracy, the ancient Greeks identified the succession of power. Although the Greeks themselves are not sinless, because in their democratic society many categories of citizens were deprived of the right to participate in the life of the state. First of all, slaves and women. With the current development of democracy, the cancellation of the presidential term can be due to various reasons, including as a powerful weapon for rallying the people and the authorities during periods of crisis. But sometimes, as history shows, this causes popular protests.
TheBiggest editors are asking you to give your personal opinion about the nullification of the presidency, both in general and in individual countries. Write in which case the cancellation of the presidential term was necessary, and where it played not for the benefit of the people.
Article author: Valery Skiba