- China’s National People’s Congress – the country’s parliament on March 11, 2018 abolished the decades-old two-term limit for the President, allowing Xi Jinping to remain as the country’s leader for life.
- The constitutional changes were passed in Beijing by the ceremonial annual sitting of the NPC with two-third majority. Of the 2,964 delegates, only two voted against the change, while three abstained.
- Earlier, the seven-member Standing Committee – the top most body of the ruling Communist Party of China – had unanimously approved the amendment.
- China had imposed a two-term limit on its president since the 1990s. The term limits were being followed by the party leaders for over two decades to avert a dictatorship on the lines of party founder Chairman Mao Zedong and to ensure collective leadership in the one-party state.
- 64-year old Xi Jinping is currently in his second five-year term and due to retire in 2023 under the current two term system. But now He will remain there for life long.
- Mr Xi Jinping became president in 2012, and quickly consolidated personal power while sidelining the opposition voices on the name of corruption charges. Now he has amassed power the likes of which has not been seen since Chairman Mao Zedong.
- Despite complete control on media to social media, some are daring to raise questions on this amendment. Former state newspaper editor Li Datong wrote that scrapping term limits for the president and vice-president would sow the seeds of chaos – in a message sent to some members of the national congress.
