Vladimir Putin of Russia was recently elected for his fifth term as President of the former soviet union.
Putin assumed power in 1999 and has maintained his position as a leader in Russia ever since.
However, his 25-year reign is pale in comparison to that of certain other leaders.
Here are the 10 longest-reigning political leaders in the world as of March 2024.
- Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – Equatorial Guinea (44 years)
The 81-year-old has been in office as the second president of Equatorial Guinea since August 3, 1979.
According to France 24, his tenure of 44 years in power is unmatched by any other current world leader, except for monarchs.
- Paul Biya – Cameroon (41 years)
The 91-year-old is a Cameroonian politician who has held the position of second president of Cameroon since November 6, 1982. Prior to his presidency, he served as the prime minister of Cameroon from 1975 to 1982. He holds the title of being the second-longest-ruling president in Africa, the longest consecutively serving current non-royal national leader globally, and the oldest head of state.
- Denis Sassou Nguesso – Republic of the Congo (39 years)
Nguesso, at the age of 80, currently serves as the President of Congo. In 1997, he assumed the presidency of the Republic of the Congo. He previously held the position of president, serving from 1979 to 1992.
- Yoweri Museveni – Uganda (37 years)
The 79-year-old is a Ugandan politician and military officer and has held the position of President of Uganda since 1986.
- Emomali Rahmon – Tajikistan (31 years)
The 71-year-old has been in office as the President of Tajikistan, a landlocked country in Central Asia, since November 16, 1994.
- Isaias Afwerki – Eritrea (30 years)
The 77-year-old took office on May 24, 1993, right after their successful bid for independence from Ethiopia. According to a report by Reuters, Eritrea has never held national elections, leading rights groups to label it as one of the most repressive states in the world.
- Alexander Lukashenko – Belarus (29 years)
He has held the position of president in Belarus since the office was established in 1994. Lukashenko, at the age of 69, holds the record for being the president with the longest tenure in Europe. In 2005, the US administration under President George W. Bush referred to Belarus as “the last remaining true dictatorship in the heart of Europe,” as reported by the BBC.
- Ismail Omar Guelleh – Djibouti (24 years)
The 76-year-old has served as the President of Djibouti since 1999.
- Vladimir Putin – Russia (24 years)
Putin, 71, has maintained a firm grip on power, serving as both prime minister and president for extended periods. He held the position of prime minister from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. As president, he served from 2000 to 2008 and has been in office since 2012.
- Paul Kagame – Rwanda (23 years)
The 66-year-old has served as the fourth President of Rwanda since 2000.