Earlier this week, Chad’s parliament approved a constitutional reform that sets a two-term presidential limit of six years each that will take effect from the next presidential election in 2021.
The country’s current president, Idriss Déby, is 65 and has ruled the country for 28 years. He is currently serving his fifth term until 2021. Under the new constitution, Déby can run again in 2021 on a clean slate and stands to rule for another 12 years if he wins.
Chad, the landlocked central African country has experienced several coup d’états and attempted coups since its independence in August 1960. Déby insists that the changes are necessary.
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But as Togolese activist Farida Nabourema noted, this behavior of extending presidential term limits is concerning and jeopardizes stability on the continent.
The Chadian parliament has just approved a new constitution that could allow dictator Idriss Déby who has ruled the country for 28 years to remain president till 2033 Parliamentary banditry has become the norm in #Africa and dictators rely on these bandits to hijack constitutions pic.twitter.com/aYiYlExu1D
— Farida Nabourema (@Farida_N) May 1, 2018
Below are five other countries whose parliaments have recently increased term limits. Should these leaders stay or go?
