Connect with us

News

World leaders are getting older—except in democracies

Advances in medicine over the past 50 years have allowed leaders to live longer, with 11 autocrats today aged over 75.

Published

on

103 Views

(The Economist)

▪︎UGC by Ohibaba.com

The advanced age of many world leaders came into sharp focus in 2024 when 81-year-old Joe Biden was pressed to withdraw from America’s presidential race over concerns about his mental acuity. Americans then elected Donald Trump who, at 78, is no spring chicken.

Mr Biden is far from the world’s oldest leader. Paul Biya, who has led Cameroon since 1982, is now 91 years old. Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ⁷2.

The world’s two most populous countries, China and India, also have leaders in their 70s.Going into 2025, the world’s leaders are, on average, older than ever. Over the past five decades, the average age of all leaders has risen from 55 to 62.

The trend in democratic countries, however, is the opposite. The average age of freely elected leaders is 59, a bit younger than fifty years ago.

In 1975, no democratic country’s leader was under 45. Today, three are.Some are older, too: in 1975, no leader of a democratic country was older than 75.

Now five have passed this milestone, including Mr Biden and his successor.America is an outlier among democracies. Not only is it electing older presidents, its legislators are the oldest in the world.

The new administration is unlikely to change that.Meanwhile, the worldwide trend toward ageing leaders is largely being driven by autocracies.

The average dictator is now 64—12 years older than in 1975. This isn’t surprising, as autocratic leaders have historically been reluctant to give up power.

Advances in medicine over the past 50 years have allowed leaders to live longer, with 11 autocrats today aged over 75.

But the same forces letting leaders live longer affect the general population, too.

While the average leader is seven years older than 50 years ago, the average age of citizens has risen by eleven years.Older leaders are not necessarily a problem.

Experience can bring wisdom. But slowing down, physically and mentally, is inevitable with age.

Research has found older politicians are less concerned with the needs of the young, and spend less on child welfare and more on benefits for seniors.

The increase in life expectancy around the world, together with the stalling of birth rates, means that leaders have on average become more like the populations they govern.

In the years ahead, expect world leaders to become increasingly grey.

In 1975 the average age gap between leaders and their subjects was 42 years; now it is 39. But the rest of the world will be greying with them.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

JUST IN: Oluremi Tinubu Donates 1 Billion naira to victims of Yelwata attack

Published

on

7 Views

The Wife of the President Oluremi Remi Tinubu has donated the sum of one billion naira to victims of the horrific Yelwata attack in Benue State.

Oluremi Tinubu who announced the donation during her condolence visit to the state, described the killings as very unnecessary.

About 6 weeks after the heart wretching attack on Yelwata community of Guma local council of Benue State State Wife of the President Oluremi Tinubu visits to pay her condolence.

She proceeds to the new banquet hall of the Government house Makurdi where she meets with relevant stakeholders and makes a significant donation on behalf of council of the renewed hope agenda initiative.

Earlier State Governor Hyacinth Alia while appreciating the show of sympathy by the first family renewed his call for the establishment of State police.

Chairman State Council Of Chiefs the Tor Tiv Orchivirigh James Ayatse wants the killer terrorists flushed out of the State and neighbouring Nassarawa State.

He equally called for compensation for victims to rebuild their lives and return back to their ancestral homes.

Continue Reading

News

Lekki Airport: Residents Call for Compensation Ahead of Demolition

Published

on

22 Views

Residents of the Ajiwe community in Ajah, Lagos State, have appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to suspend the planned demolition of their homes for infrastructure projects until they receive adequate compensation.

The affected landlords and tenants claim their properties have been marked for demolition to make way for the Gas Link pipeline and Green Line Rail projects—key components of the new Lagos Airport under construction in Ibeju-Lekki.

Over the weekend, the residents staged a protest along the Abraham Adesanya Expressway, carrying placards with messages such as: “No Demolition Without Compensation,” “We Say No to Gas Link and Rail Project Demolitions Without Compensation,” and “Compensate Us First.”

Kehinde Alakoso, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, acknowledged the public importance of the projects but emphasized the need to account for the human impact.

“These projects may serve the greater good, but the government must also fulfill its legal and moral obligation to compensate displaced residents,” he said.

Alakoso added that formal letters had been submitted to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, and other relevant authorities in the state.

Continue Reading

News

Flood Death Toll in Adamawa Rises to 23, Governor Fintiri Visits Affected Communities

Published

on

19 Views

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, on Monday confirmed that the death toll from Sunday’s devastating flood in Yola has climbed to 23, with many more still missing.

Upon arriving at Yola International Airport at 1:45 p.m., the governor proceeded directly to affected communities in Yola South Local Government Area, where he offered condolences to victims and assessed the damage.

At a temporary displacement camp set up at Yelewa Primary School, Fintiri met with displaced families, expressed his grief, and reassured them of the government’s commitment to providing immediate relief materials.

He announced the formation of a technical committee, in collaboration with the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the destruction.

“We will constitute a technical committee to carry out a thorough assessment. Based on their findings, we will take concrete steps to assist affected residents,” the governor stated.

Fintiri also condemned attempts by some individuals to politicize the tragedy, warning against the spread of misinformation.

“This is not a time for politics or finger-pointing. It’s a time for unity and action,” he said.

He attributed the flooding to a combination of heavy rainfall and poor drainage caused by blocked water channels, emphasizing the need to address structural deficiencies to prevent future disasters.

Continue Reading

Trending