How Long Is a Presidential Term? | By Country

A presidential term in the United States is four years, and a president can be elected twice at most. Other countries choose very different numbers: some presidents serve five, six or seven years, and some may only ever serve one term.

This guide covers the US rules first, then compares term lengths and limits around the world.

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The United States: 4 years, two terms

The US Constitution sets the president's term at four years. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, says no one can be elected president more than twice.

Before 1951 there was no written limit. Two terms was a custom started by the first president, and it held until one president won four elections in a row in the 1930s and 1940s. The amendment turned the custom into law.

A few details are often missed:

• The real maximum is 10 years. Someone who takes over with two years or less left in another president's term can still be elected twice: under 2 years plus 8 years.
• The vice president also serves 4 years, but there is no limit on how many terms a vice president can serve.
• Elections fall in November every fourth year, on the Tuesday after the first Monday. The new term starts on 20 January the following year.

Term lengths around the world

"Two in a row" means a former president can sometimes return after a break. "One term" means a president can never be re-elected.

France is a good example of how term lengths change. Its president served seven years until a 2000 referendum cut the term to five, starting in 2002. A 2008 change then limited presidents to two terms in a row.

Why are some terms longer than others?

Countries balance two risks.

• Short terms with re-election let voters judge a leader often and remove one quickly. The cost is that a president spends part of each term campaigning.
• Long single terms remove the pressure to campaign for re-election and make it harder for one person to hold power for decades. The cost is that voters cannot reward a good president with a second term.

Countries that had long rule by one leader in the past often chose a single term, while others allow re-election but cap the total.

Presidents who are not heads of government

In many parliamentary countries the president is head of state, while a prime minister runs the government. These presidents often have long terms because the job is mostly ceremonial. Italy's president serves 7 years and is chosen by parliament. Germany's federal president serves 5 years and can be re-elected once in a row. India's president serves 5 years and can stand again.

Prime ministers usually have no fixed term at all. They stay in office as long as they keep the support of parliament, and elections must be held within a set period, such as five years.

Can a president be removed early?

Yes. Most constitutions let the legislature remove a president for serious wrongdoing. In the US the House of Representatives impeaches, which is like bringing charges, and the Senate holds a trial; removal needs a two-thirds vote in the Senate. A president can also resign, and if a president dies or leaves office, the vice president takes over for the rest of the term.

Try it yourself

In our free game President Simulator, every office has a two-term limit too. You start on a city council and work up through mayor and governor to president of a fictional nation, winning an election at the end of every term. Terms are shortened to a few quarters so a whole career fits in one sitting. For strategy, read our President Simulator tips. Or skip the reading and start your campaign now.