Presidential Term Limits in Africa and Latin America: Contested but Resilient

Abstract: Today, the great majority of African and Latin American countries have presidential term limits inscribed in their constitutions. Yet, Bolivia's Evo Morales and Guinea's Alpha Condé are only recent examples of incumbents trying to extend their time in office - and of the acute political conflicts that follow from these bold moves. A presidential term limit is the constitutional rule that restricts the number of terms that the president of a given state may serve. In presidential systems, such limits are a key check on the power of the incumbent. Their goal is to constrain personalism, prevent power abuse, and to promote party competition and alternation in power. In practice, term limits have not always been an effective instrument to stop the president from taking office again and again. Since the 1990s, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa have been hit by an amendment fever that today accumulates to about 60 approved reforms and additional failed attempts. Term limits have been

Alternative title
Präsidentielle Amtszeitbeschränkungen in Afrika und Lateinamerika: Umkämpft, aber unverwüstbar
Location
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
Extent
Online-Ressource, 12 S.
Language
Englisch
Notes
Veröffentlichungsversion
begutachtet

Bibliographic citation
GIGA Focus Global ; Bd. 1

Classification
Politik

Event
Veröffentlichung
(where)
Mannheim
(who)
SSOAR, GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften e.V.
(when)
2020
Event
Veröffentlichung
(where)
Hamburg
(who)
GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies - Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien
(when)
2020
Creator
Contributor
GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies - Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

URN
urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-66250-7
Rights
Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
Last update
25.03.2025, 1:53 PM CET

Data provider

This object is provided by:
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Associated

  • Heyl, Charlotte
  • Llanos, Mariana
  • GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies - Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien
  • SSOAR, GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften e.V.

Time of origin

  • 2020

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