Presidential Longevity in Power Correlates Strongly with Poor Governance


 
The table below ranks countries by how long their leader has been in power. Every country with a leader who has been in power for more than 20 years is rated D- or E-grade due to their poor rating on the World Economics Governance Index. Where there is some degree of shared power (constitutional monarchies) the figure judged to wield the presiding power is used.

Longest Periods of Leadership Globally
Ranked by longevity

Country

Grade

Longevity

Assumption

Leadership Type

Cameroon

E

43

1982

Presidential

Eswatini

D

39

1986

Absolute monarchy

Uganda

D

39

1986

Presidential

Tajikistan

E

33

1992

Presidential

Belarus

E

31

1994

Presidential

Congo, Rep.

E

28

1997

Presidential

Bahrain

D

26

1999

Constitutional monarchy

Russia 1

E

26

1999

Presidential

Azerbaijan

E

22

2003

Presidential

Türkiye

D

22

2003

Presidential

Togo

D

20

2005

Presidential

Country

Grade

Longevity

Leadership
Type

Cameroon

E

43

Presidential

Eswatini

D

39

Absolute monarchy

Uganda

D

39

Presidential

Tajikistan

E

33

Presidential

Belarus

E

31

Presidential

Congo

E

28

Presidential

Bahrain

D

26

Constitutional monarchy

Russia 1

E

26

Presidential

Azerbaijan

E

22

Presidential

Türkiye

D

22

Presidential

Togo

D

20

Presidential

Source: World Economics Governance Index, 2025




1 Putin moved from President of Russia to Prime Minister, from 2008 to 2012, before returning as the President again in 2018. He has frequently been described, in all probability accurately, as the de facto leader of Russia since Boris Yeltsin's resignation on the 31st December 1999.

2 Some small countries with dictators in power have been omitted as they have not been included in the World Economics Governance Index due to lack of data.

The table highlights the connection between countries with leaders who have ruled for long periods of time and poor Governance ratings on the World Economics Governance Index.

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