Constitutional term limits initiative
The Constitutional Term Limits Initiative was launched by the National Democratic Institute to promote support for constitutional term limits across sub-Saharan Africa through high-level advocacy and citizen mobilization.
Over the past two decades, Africa has made notable progress in achieving democratic and peaceful transitions of executive powers. According to the Africa Forum, more than 40 African presidents have left office democratically and peacefully during this period. Seven of them have been awarded the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. Moreover, according to recent Afrobarometer surveys, a majority of the continent’s citizens support term limits and most African Union (AU) member states are in favor of constitutionalism and the rule of law. Nevertheless, a considerable number of leaders across the continent have extended their tenure by altering or eliminating constitutional term limits, and political space is shrinking in others.
FORMER PRESIDENTS
AND CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS
We asked
Why are constitutional term limits essential in African democracies? Pourquoi la limitation des mandats présidentiels est-elle essentielle en Afrique?
What message do you have to African Heads of State who seek to cling to power? Quels conseils donneriez-vous aux Chefs d’États qui ne veulent pas quitter le pouvoir?
What message do you have for aspiring African youth? Quel message avez-vous pour les jeunes?
In 2019, The National Democratic Institute launched the Term Limits Initiative to promote support for presidential term limits across sub-Saharan Africa through high-level advocacy and citizen mobilization. Since 2019, the Term Limits Initiative has expanded its network of partners, and now works to provide ongoing financial and technical support to regional civil society movements across Africa as they lead campaigns to promote respect for constitutional term limits.