Just some random thought about presidential terms.

[Dameon Angell]

I dunno, but I just had an idea randomly today watching Reagan's Funeral. You couldn't change the channel without seeing it today, over here.

Well, I was wondering, in other countries outside of the United States, how long do your Prime Ministers or whoever else you have stay in power?

And if it's longer than 4 years, do you feel that the longevity of a leader's term helps better or worsen the quality of the leadership?

[Troll King]

It's four years in Canada too, but unlike the U.S., the elections aren't always held around the same time every four years. The ruling party can decide to call the election at any time during their term. Usually, this gives that party an advantage because they can time it with a peak in their approval rating. This year, our election will be held on the 28th of this month, and many consider it a poorly timed election for the ruling Liberal party. The polls look pretty tight right now with a good possibility for a minority government, but many experts believe that it would have been an easy landslide win for the Liberals if they called the election late last year.

[Kolar]

There was a student vote done in most Ontario high schools recently, I think the organizers want to make it Canada wide next year. Appearently Liberals won with 41 % of the votes, with a voter turn out of 70 %. It doesn't effect the real vote though.

[GoldenPlums]

There's no limit to the number of terms a British prime minister can serve so theoretically they can just keep on going. Very few, however, manage last longer than the US 2 term limit. They get voted out, or more usually forced out by their party. Thatcher lasted 11 years, the longest serving PM in 150 years or so. The job seems to drive them nuts after a while though. Margaret Thatcher - a bit of a nutter when she started and a screaming fruit loop by the time she left. Tony Blair, 7 years(?) so far and probably going for a third term, barking mad.

[ZeUs!!]

Tony Blair is the man

[GoldenPlums]

Tony Blair is a man, and a man in need of dragging back down to planet earth.