List of political term limits explained

This is a list of term limits for heads of state, heads of government and other notable public office holders by country.

Africa


Country	Head of state/government		Other
Country	Title	Maximum number of terms	Office	Maximum number of terms
Algeria	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2016 constitution reform
Angola	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2021 constitution reform
Benin	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1956 constitution reform
Botswana	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1996 constitution reform
Burkina Faso	President	No set terms (transitional)
Burundi	President	Two 7-year terms, since 2018 constitutional reform
Chad	President	No set terms (transitional)
Cameroon	President	Unlimited 7-year terms, since 2008 constitutional reform
Cape Verde	President	Two 5-year terms, third term only after 5 years	Prime Minister	No term limits
Central African Republic	President	Unlimited 7-year terms, since 2023 constitutional referendum
Comoros	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2019 constitutional reform
	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2016 constitutional reform
	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2005 constitutional referendum
	President	Three 5-year terms, since 2015 constitutional referendum
Djibouti	President	Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2010 constitutional reform
Egypt	President	Two 6-year terms, since 2019 constitutional referendum	Prime Minister	No term limits
Equatorial Guinea	President	Two 7-year terms, since 2011 constitutional reform
Eritrea	President	Two 5-year terms, as per unenforced constitution (no set terms in practice)
	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
Gabon	President	No set terms (transitional)
Ghana	President	Two 4-year terms, since 1992 constitutional referendum
Gambia	President	Unlimited 5-year terms, since 1996 constitutional reform
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
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	Two 5-year terms, since 2010 Constitution (except after succeeding to the Deputy Presidency and serving for more than two and a half years, in which case only one subsequent five-year term is permitted)
Lesotho	King	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	Unlimited 5-year terms, since 1998 constitutional reform
Liberia	President	Two 6-year terms, since 1986 constitutional referendum
Libya	Presidential Council	No set terms (transitional)
Madagascar	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1992 constitutional referendum
Malawi	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1995 constitutional referendum
Mali	President	No set terms (transitional)
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
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
Niger	President	No set terms (transitional)
Nigeria	President	Two 4-year terms, since 1999 constitutional reform
Rwanda	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2015 constitutional reform
	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2003 constitution reform	Prime Minister	No term limits
Senegal	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2016 constitutional reform
Seychelles	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2016 constitutional reform
Sierra Leone	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1991 constitutional referendum
Somalia	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1991 constitutional referendum
South Africa	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1996 constitutional referendum
	President	Unlimited 4-year terms
Sudan	President	No set terms (transitional)
	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1977 constitutional reform
Togo	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2019 constitutional reform
Tunisia	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2014 constitutional referendum
Uganda	President	Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2005 constitutional reform
	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

Americas


Country	Head of state/government		Other
Country	Title	Maximum number of terms	Office	Maximum number of terms
Argentina	President	Two consecutive 4-year terms	Vice President	Two consecutive 4-year terms
			Senators	Unlimited 6-year terms
			Deputies	Unlimited 4-year terms
Barbados	President	Two 4-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the House of Assembly, which has a term of five years
Belize	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the House of Representatives, which has a term of five years
Belize	Governor-General	No set terms; appointed by monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.	Prime Minister
	President	Two 5-year terms, since 2023^[1]	Vice President	Unlimited 5-year terms
Brazil	President	Two consecutive 4-year terms	Vice President	Two consecutive 4-year terms
Canada	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms, but the Prime Minister must maintain the support of the House of Commons, which by statute has a term of four years
	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.	Prime Minister
	Lieutenant Governor (provincial)	No set terms; appointed by monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. Traditionally serves for at least one 5-year term.	Premier (provincial/territorial)	No directly set terms, but Premiers must maintain the support of their respective provincial or territorial legislative assemblies, which have a term of five years
Chile	President	Unlimited non-consecutive 4-year terms
Colombia	President	One 4-year term	Vice President	One 4-year term
Costa Rica	President	Unlimited non-consecutive 4-year terms
Cuba	First Secretary	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	Two 5-year terms
Cuba	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	Two 5-year terms
Dominican Republic	President	Two 4-year terms	Vice President	Two 4-year terms
Ecuador	President	Two 4-year terms	Vice President	Two 4-year terms
El Salvador	President	Two 5-year terms (Bukele's political reforms)	Vice President	One 5-year term
Guatemala	President	One 4-year term	Vice President	Unlimited non-consecutive 4-year terms
Guyana	President	Two 5-year terms
Haiti	President	(Transitional)
Honduras	President	Two 4-year terms	Vice President	Two 4-year terms
Jamaica	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	Unlimited 5-year terms
Jamaica	Governor-General	No set terms; appointed by monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.	Prime Minister	Unlimited 5-year terms
Mexico	President	One 6-year term (sexenio)	Senate	Two 6-year terms (since 2018)
Nicaragua	President	Unlimited 5-year terms^[2]	Vice President	Unlimited 5-year terms (Ortega's political reforms)
Panama	President	Two non-consecutive 5-year terms	Vice President	Two non-consecutive 5-year terms
Paraguay	President	One 5-year term	Vice President	One 5-year term
Peru	President	Unlimited non-consecutive 5-year terms	Vice President	Unlimited non-consecutive 5-year terms
Suriname	President	Unlimited 5-year terms	Vice President	Unlimited 5-year terms
Trinidad and Tobago	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	Unlimited 5-year terms
United States	President	Two 4-year terms, except after succeeding to the Presidency and serving more than two years, in which case only one subsequent four-year term is permitted. Eligibility of former term-limited presidents is unclear (see Twenty-second Amendment).		Unlimited 4-year terms
			Senators	Unlimited 6-year terms
			Representatives	Unlimited 2-year terms
Uruguay	President	Unlimited non-consecutive 5-year terms	Vice President	Unlimited non-consecutive 5-year terms
	President	Unlimited 6-year terms, since 2009 constitutional referendum	Vice President	No fixed terms

Asia


Country	Head of state		Head of government/other
Country	Title	Maximum number of terms	Office	Maximum number of terms
Armenia	President	One 7-year term	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Assembly, which has a term of five years
Azerbaijan	President	Unlimited 7-year terms
Bangladesh	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No term limits
Cambodia	King	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No term limits
Georgia	President	Two terms: 6 years (current), 5 years (from 2024)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms
Hong Kong	Chief Executive	Two consecutive 5-year terms
India	President	Unlimited 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Indian Parliament, which has a term of five years
Indonesia	President	Two 5-year terms	Vice President	Two 5-year terms
Japan	Emperor	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	Unlimited 4-year terms
			Member of the House of Councillors	Unlimited 6-year terms
			Member of the House of Representatives	Unlimited 4-year terms
Kazakhstan	President	One 7-year term (2022–present).Two consecutive 5-year terms, with an exception for the first President (1991-2022).
Kyrgyzstan	President	Two 5-year terms
	General Secretary	Unlimited 5-year terms	Prime Minister	Two 5-year terms
	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	Two 5-year terms
	Chief Executive	Two consecutive 5-year terms	Legislative Assembly	Unlimited 4-year terms
Malaysia	Monarch	Unlimited 5-year terms, but because the post rotates among the nine sultans of the Malayan states, they are de facto unlimited non-consecutive 5-year terms.	Prime Minister	No term limits
Maldives	President	Two 5-year terms, since 1998
Mongolia	President	One 6-year term (Two 4-year terms until 2021)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the State Great Khural, which has a term of four years.
	General Secretary	No set terms	Premier	Unlimited 5-year terms
	President of State Affairs	Unlimited 5-year terms	Premier	Unlimited 5-year terms
Pakistan	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Pakistan Parliament, which has a term of five years
	General Secretary	Unlimited 5-year terms	Vice President	Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2018 constitutional reform
	President	Unlimited 5-year terms, since 2018 constitutional reform	Premier	Two consecutive 5-year terms (Two consecutive terms of National People's Congress session)
Philippines	President	One 6-year term	Vice President	Two consecutive 6-year terms
			Senators	Two consecutive 6-year terms
			Representatives of the House	Three consecutive 3-year terms
			All other local government officials	Three consecutive 3-year terms
	President	Two 6-year terms^[3]	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the President, who has a term of six years, as well as the support of the State Duma, which has a term of five years
	President	One 5-year term	Prime Minister	No term limits
Singapore	President	Unlimited 6-year terms	Prime Minister	No term limits
Sri Lanka	President	Two 5-year terms since 2015	Prime Minister	No term limits
	President	Two consecutive 4-year terms, since 1994^[4] ^[5]	Vice President	Same as the president
			Members of the Legislative Yuan	Unlimited 4-year terms since 2008^[6]
			County, city and township councilors, and village chiefs	Unlimited 4-year terms^[7]
			County magistrates, and city and township mayors	Two consecutive 4-year terms^[8]
Tajikistan	President	Two 7-year terms (Exception for Founder of peace and national Unity — Leader of the Nation)^[9]
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
Uzbekistan	President	Two 7-year terms, since 2023 constitutional reform
	General Secretary	Unlimited 5-year terms (in practice two 5-years terms)	Vice President	Unlimited 5-year terms (in practice two 5-years terms)
	President	Unlimited 5-year terms (in practice two 5-years terms)	Prime Minister	Unlimited 5-year terms (in practice two 5-years terms)

West Asia


Country	Head of state		Head of government/other
Country	Title	Maximum number of terms	Office	Maximum number of terms
Cyprus	President	Two consecutive 5-year terms
Iraq	President	Two 4-year terms	Prime Minister	Unlimited 4-year terms
Jordan	King	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Jordanian Parliament, which has a term of four years
Israel	President	One 7-year term	Prime Minister	Between 1948 and 1996, and since 2001: No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Knesset, which has an undefined term not exceeding four years
Israel	President	One 7-year term	Prime Minister	Between 1996 and 2001 (when the Prime Minister was directly elected): Unlimited undefined terms. Should these terms exceed seven years, the Prime Minister will not be eligible for immediate re-election
Lebanon	President	Unlimited non-consecutive 6-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms
	President	Two 7-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms
Turkey	President	Two 5-year terms^[10]	Grand National Assembly of Turkey	Unlimited 5-year terms

Europe


Country	Head of state		Head of government (if effectively supreme to a separate head of state) and other offices
Country	Title	Maximum number of terms	Title	Maximum number of terms
Albania	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Albanian Parliament, which has a term of four years
Armenia	President	One 7-year term	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Assembly, which has a term of five years
Austria	President	Two consecutive 6-year terms	Chancellor	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Council, which has a term of five years
Azerbaijan	President	Unlimited 7-year terms
Belarus	President	Unlimited 5-year terms
	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Chamber of Representatives, which has a term of five years
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Presidency members	Two 4-year terms, reeligible after four years	Chairman of the Council of Ministers (equivalent of Prime Minister)	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the House of Representatives, which has a term of four years
Bulgaria	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Assembly, which has a term of four years
Croatia	President	Two 5-year terms		No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Sabor, which has a term of four years
Cyprus	President	Two 5-year terms
Czech Republic	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Chamber of Deputies, which has a term of four years
	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Folketing, which has a term of four years
Estonia	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Riigikogu, which has a term of four years
Finland	President	Two consecutive 6-year terms^[11]	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Finnish Parliament, which has a term of four years
France	President	Two consecutive terms: 5 years (2002–present), 7 years (1873–2002)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Assembly, which has a term of five years
Georgia	President	Two terms: 6 years (current), 5 years (from 2024)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms
Germany	President	Two consecutive 5-year terms	Chancellor	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Bundestag, which has a term of four years
Greece	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Hellenic Parliament, which has a term of four years
Hungary	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Assembly, which has a term of four years
	President	Unlimited 4-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Althing, which has a term of four years
Ireland	President	Two 7-year terms	Taoiseach (equivalent of Prime Minister)	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Dáil, which has a term of five years
Italy	President	Unlimited 7-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of both Houses of the Parliament, which have a term of five years
Kazakhstan	President	One 7-year term (2022–present).Two consecutive 5-year terms, with an exception for the first President (1991-2022).
	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Assembly, which has a term of four years
Latvia	President	Two 4-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Saeima, which has a term of four years
Liechtenstein	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Landtag, which has a term of four years
Lithuania	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Seimas, which has a term of four years
	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Chamber of Deputies, which has a term of five years
Malta	President	One 5-year term	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Maltese Parliament, which has a term of five years
	President	Two 4-year terms^[12]	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Moldovan Parliament, which has a term of four years
Montenegro	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Montenegrin Parliament, which has a term of four years
Netherlands	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	Unlimited 4-year terms; however, they must maintain the support of the House of Representatives, which has a term of four years
	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Assembly of North Macedonia, which has a term of four years
	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Storting, which has a term of four years
Poland	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Sejm, which has a term of four years
Portugal	President	Two consecutive 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Assembly of the Republic, which has a term of less than four years
Romania	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Chamber of Deputies, as well as the support of the Senate, both of which have a term of less than four years
	President	Two 6-year terms^[13]	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the President, who has a term of six years, as well as the support of the State Duma, which has a term of five years
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
Serbia	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Assembly, which has a term of four years
Slovakia	President	Two 5-year terms^[14]	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Council, which has a term of four years
Slovenia	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Assembly, which has a term of four years
	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Congress of Deputies, which has a term of four years
	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Riksdag, which has a term of four years
Switzerland	President of the Confederation	Unlimited non-consecutive 1-year terms	Federal Council	Unlimited 4-year terms
Turkey	President	Two 5-year terms^[15]	Grand National Assembly of Turkey	Unlimited 5-year terms
United Kingdom	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the House of Commons, which has a term of five years
Ukraine	President	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Verkhovna Rada, which has a term of five years
	Pope	Lifetime term	Cardinal Secretary of State	No set term, he holds office as long as the pope who appointed him is in office/dismissed by the Pope/opts to retire
			Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church	Papal appointment, appointee holds office while Pope who appointed them is in office/dismissed by the Pope/opts to retire
			Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State	No set term, he holds office as long as the pope who appointed him is in office/dismissed by the Pope/opts to retire
			Dean of the College of Cardinals	Two 5-year terms/dismissed by the Pope/opts to retire
			College of Cardinals	Lifetime term; voting rights last until 80 years of age

Oceania


Country	Head of state		Other
Country	Title	Maximum number of terms	Office	Maximum number of terms
Australia	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the House of Representatives, which has a term of three years
Australia	Governor-General	No term limits, but traditionally serve for one 5-year term	Prime Minister
	President	Two 4-year terms	Vice President	Two 4-year terms
Fiji	President	Two 3-year terms	Prime Minister	Unlimited 4-year terms
Kiribati	President	Three 4-year terms	Vice President	Three 4-year terms
Marshall Islands	President	Two 4-year terms
New Zealand	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the House of Representatives, which has a term of three years
New Zealand	Governor-General	No term limits, but traditionally serve for one 5-year term	Prime Minister
Nauru	President	Two 3-year terms
Palau	President	Two 4-year terms	Vice President	Two 4-year terms
Papua New Guinea	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Parliament, which has a term of five years
Papua New Guinea	Governor-General	Two 6-year terms	Prime Minister
Samoa	Chief of State	Two 5-year terms since 2019. Before 2019, the number of 5-year terms was unlimited; however, the first officeholder served for life	Prime Minister	Unlimited 5-year terms
Solomon Islands	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the National Parliament, which has a term of four years
Solomon Islands	Governor-General	Two 5-year terms	Prime Minister
Tonga	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms
Tuvalu	Monarch	No set terms (hereditary succession)	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the Tuvaluan Parliament, which has a term of four years
Tuvalu	Governor-General	No term limits	Prime Minister
Vanuatu	President	One 5-year term	Prime Minister	No directly set terms; however, they must maintain the support of the ni-Vanuatu Parliament, which has a term of four years