Before today, there were 10 oldest leaders in the world. Tuesday, November 21, Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean President resigned and packed out of the scene of the oldest ones. StraightNews, therefore, presents nine leaders who are still holding on to leadership thread in the world.
- Queen Elizabeth II, United Kingdom
Not just venerable, but also the second longest-serving head of state. When Queen Elizabeth, 89 in April, assumed the throne in 1952, most members of the current cabinet hadn’t even been born, some foodstuffs were still rationed and the Guardian still didn’t have a website.
With one notable exception, being British monarch is a job for life. Plenty have put money on Her Majesty voluntarily stepping down but it’s a bet that never pays out, no matter how many generations of Windsors are awaiting their turn.
- Beji Caid Essebsi, Tunisia
The top job came to Essebsi late in life – he turned 88 at the end of last year. But he has spent half a century in and around the corridors of power in Tunis and a long career based on pragmatism culminated in his investiture on New Year’s Eve 2014.
Under his stewardship, Tunisia remains the sole Arab spring country to have piloted a course towards democracy and security.
- Abdul Halim of Kedah, Malaysia
The 87-year-old may also have the longest name of any head of state, going by the formal moniker Almu’tasimu Billahi Muhibbuddin Tuanku Alhaj sir Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah.
Under a unique system maintained since 1957, nine hereditary state rulers take turns as the country’s king for five-year terms. The monarch’s role is largely ceremonial, since administrative power is vested in the prime minister and parliament.
- Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand
The Thai king is not the oldest head of state, but he is the longest-serving, have ascended to the throne in 1946. Lèse-majesté laws in Thailand make it perilous work to write anything about the ageing monarch. So we won’t.
- Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Kuwait
The 85-year-old is the fifth emir of Kuwait, having been sworn in nine years ago. He was previously foreign minister for 40 years, including during the Iraqi invasion in 1990.
- Raúl Castro, Cuba
At 83, he has been in charge of Cuba for almost a decade, after the indisposition of his elder brother Fidel. A more staid presence than the revolutionary leader, Raúl also served as armed forces minister for almost 50 years, a record. Unlikely to make it to the top of this list though: he has hinted he will step down in 2018.
- Paul Biya, Cameroon
One of the longest serving elected heads of state in the world (however manipulated those elections have been), Biya is 82 has already done 33 years in the job and is set to stay in power for at least another five years.
- Akihito, Japan
Akihito, 81, acceded to the throne after the death of his father, Hirohito, in 1989. As emperor his duties are largely ceremonial, consisting principally of state visits and apologising to other Asian countries for Japan’s wartime conduct possibly the only world leader to have published academic papers about fish.
- Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia
By the standards of this list, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is something of a new kid on the block, still in his 70s and only recently ascended to the throne. Salman is the latest son of the kingdom’s founder Abdulaziz ibn Saud to accede to the top job. He succeeded his brother Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who himself ranked second on this list until his death in January
Source: Forbes
