Presidential Term Limits in Europe

Abstract This chapter focuses on the politics of presidential term limits including that of term lengths, in Europe from the nineteenth century onwards. It surveys twenty-three European countries, namely the EU members that currently have a president as their head of state plus Iceland and Switzerland. The main argument is that Europe has not been exempt from the political manipulation of presidential term limits, notably during the interwar period. However, in the modern era, meaning Western Europe after 1945 and Central and Eastern Europe after 1989, the abuse of presidential term limits has not been a live issue. The issue of term lengths, though, has been consequential in the small number of European countries with an executive presidency. The chapter provides information about presidential term limits and term lengths in Europe, examines some of the debates surrounding term limits, and discusses the effect of term lengths on presidential/cabinet conflict.