In most countries, there are age requirements for senior political positions, especially for the president. This is because years of political or military service are often desirable for world leaders. Each president on this list received the highest post in his country only after spending years in various government and / or political roles. Many of them did not become presidents much later, while others took up their roles quite early and held onto power for several decades.
10. Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifa (Bahrain) - 83 years
- 1957–60: President of the Board of Education;
- 1960–66: President, Financial Management;
- 1962–67: Chairman of the Municipal Council of Manama;
- 1966-1971: Chairman of the Governing Body (renamed State Council, 1970);
- 1971 - present: Prime Minister.
Khalifa plays a central role in the creation of a government administration, the modernization of its structures and the personal recruitment of senior staff. In 1960, when he was appointed president of the Financial Directorate, the state administration was in its infancy, and its employees represented only a small part of the Bahrain workforce.
9. Salman Ibn Abdul-Aziz Ibn Abdurrahman Ibn Faisal al Saud (Saudi Arabia) - 84 years
The absolute monarch of Saudi Arabia has ruled since the death of his half-brother King Abdullah in January 2015, and spent a little time getting hold of his power. In April 2015, he announced that he would change the Saudi line of succession, in which the kingdom is passed on among the sons of Abdulaziz ibm Saud, the country's founder.
His new plan passes the crown to the next generation, placing the grandson of Prince Mohammed bin Nyfe on the throne and providing a younger line of new rulers. Al Saud became governor of Riyadh province in 1963, holding this post for 48 years. Under his leadership, Riyadh urbanized and flourished, attracting tourists, trade and investment.
8. Mahmoud Abbas (Palestine) - 84 years
Mahmoud Abbas is a Palestinian politician who served as Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in 2003 and was elected its president in 2005 after the death of Yasser Arafat. He was one of the first members of the Fatah movement and played an important role in establishing contacts that simultaneously laid the foundations for peace with Israel and for Palestinian self-determination.
In January 2005, he easily won the election to succeed Arafat as president of the PA, gaining more than 60 percent of the vote.
7. Michel Naim Aun (Lebanon) - 85 years old
Lebanese political general Michel Naim Aun was once the prime minister and acting president of Lebanon. He served under these ranks from September 22, 1988 to October 13, 1990, when he was expelled by troops from Lebanon and Syria. Aoun returned to Lebanon on May 7, 2005, almost two weeks after the withdrawal of Syrian troops. Once a military commander, now Aoun is a member of parliament and the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement.
6. Paul Biya (Cameroon) - 87 years old
Biya is Cameroon’s second president and has been in office since 1982, and currently has 37.5 years. While Biya was the leader of Cameroon for almost four decades, his presidency was controversial.
During the first few decades of the presidency, Biyi Cameroon acted on a one-party system. Biya reluctantly allowed multi-party politics in the 1990s under pressure from numerous sources. According to outside observers, the democratic elections in Cameroon are a farce, and Biya wins only because of a very low turnout or by bullying. In 2018, Biya won the presidential election again and intends to serve at least another seven years.
5. Colville Norbert Young (Belize) - 87 years old
Sir Colville Norbert Young is the Governor General of Belize, as well as the patron saint of the Belize Scout Association. He was appointed Governor General in 1993, taking office on November 17 of that year, and was knighted in 1994.
Young was interested in seeing the development of Belize in the field of science and education, and after returning from England he began to try to promote the nation in this regard. In the late 1980s, Young became president of Belize University College, one of the five parent institutions of the University of Belize, and was one of its senior faculty members. He also became interested in music, composing all kinds of musical works from operas to cantatas to others. He published a series of books on Belizean literature, including Literature and Education in Belize,
“Creole Proverbs of Belize,” “From One Caribbean Corner,” and “The Caribbean Corner Calls,” the last two contain verses in English and Creole Belize.
4. Raul Modesto Castro Rus (Cuba) - 88 years
Raul Castro, fully Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, Head of State of Cuba (Acting President 2006–08; President 2008–18), Minister of Defense (1959–2006) and revolutionary.
Raoul has long been second in the three main organs of the Cuban hierarchy — the State Council, the Council of Ministers, and the Communist Party of Cuba — and in 2007 he became the acting head of all three government organizations. The Cuban National Assembly officially elected Raoul the new President of Cuba in February 2008, after Fidel Castro announced that he would not accept a new presidential term due to health problems.
3. Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah (Kuwait) - 90 years
His Highness Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah is the fifth ruler of Kuwait and the commander of the country's armed forces. For 40 years he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, from 1963 to 2003. In this high post, he restored Kuwaiti international relations, shaken after the Gulf War, and also restored the state after the invasion of Iraq.
2. Elizabeth II (Great Britain) - 93 years old
Elizabeth II is the Queen of the United Kingdom in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Her coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.
The Queen ruled longer than any other monarch in British history, becoming a very beloved and respected figure throughout the world. In her extraordinary reign, she traveled more widely than any other monarch, making many historical foreign visits. Known for her sense of duty and devotion to life in the service, she is an important figure in the UK and the Commonwealth during times of enormous social change.
Her Majesty continues to carry out a full program of events, from visiting charity and schools to visiting heads of state, keeping the nation in memory and celebrating events - all this is supported by other members of the royal family.
1. Mahathir bin Mohamad Iskandar (Malaysia) - 94 years old
Mohamad Iskandar became the oldest world leader in 92 when he was sworn in as Malaysian Prime Minister in 2018, a decade and a half after retirement. Mahathir also served as Prime Minister of Malaysia from July 1981 to October 2003.
Having lost his first place in parliament, he wrote a book entitled The Malay Dilemma. The book contained racist stereotypes, but helped establish Mahatira as the protector of Malay rights.