Third terms bids destabilise West Africa

Significance

There is no consistent regional norm on this issue. Third term bids are often destabilising, but leaders that opt to respect term limits and hand off power to a close associate can also find themselves in hot water.

Impacts

• The lack of an ironclad norm against third terms creates tensions about the integrity of elections and incumbents’ interference.
• Third term bids undermine courts and legislatures; incumbents often use them to rubber-stamp referendums or constitutional changes.
• ECOWAS’s credibility faces risks due to the bloc's inconsistency regarding third term bids.