Five State Leaders with the Shortest Term in the World
- ANTARA/Pool via REUTERS/John Thys/
VIVA – Generally, the state leaders of countries have terms of office in a matter of years, even decades. Recently, the resignation of Liz Truss as UK prime minister shows that the UK has a different prime minister within six years.
As it turned out, apart from Liz Truss, there were more people with short tenures in the world. One is in Argentina. This country experienced a change of five presidents in just two weeks.
From historical records, other heads of state leaders in a shortest term for various reasons, as follows.
1. Joseph Goebbels, Chancellor of Nazi Germany (a Day)
Joseph Goebbels is remembered as Germany's minister of propaganda during Nazi rule (1933-1945). But not many people know that he also held the highest position even though it was only for a day.
This happened on April 30, 1945, when the incumbent Adolf Hitler committed suicide in a basement in Berlin during the last days of World War II in Europe. Number two after Hitler, Goebbels rose to the chancellor, but he and his wife also later committed suicide after poisoning their six children with cyanide.
2. William Henry Harrison, US President (One Month)
William Henry Harrison was the first president of the United States (US) to die while serving as president with the shortest term in office. The former military officer had only fallen ill for 21 when he took office, from pneumonia, and died at the age of 68.
3. President of Argentina Changed Many Times
Argentina experienced a difficult situation and a severe economic crisis in December 2001. At that time, about 25 people died. The political turmoil that occurred before led to the resignation of President Fernando de La Rua on December 20, 2002. In fact, five leaders only two weeks.
De La Rua was elected by the Senate's ruling leader, Ramon Puerta. The vice president should have appointed the president but the vice president first.
Two days later, Puerta left office because Argentine Congressman Adolfo Rodriguez Saa appointed him to the Casa Rosada, the office of the president. But Saa also resigned just a week after his emergency economic policies did not get much support.
According to the Act, Puerta was supposed to return, but he refused and stepped down as leader of the Senate. Then the Speaker of the House of Representatives Eduardo Camano rose to become president, the fourth president. Three days later, he stepped down and was backed by the president of Congress' choice, Eduardo Duhalde, who lasted until the 2003 election.
4. Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India (Less than Two Weeks)
Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee holds the record for the shortest prime minister. He only ruled for 13 days in 1996 after failing to meet the results of parliamentary elections.
He returned to power in 1998, but only lasted 13 months as he witnessed the disintegration and dissolution of parliament. However, Vajpayee's party, the BJP, rose again in the next election, becoming prime minister for a third term between 1999 and 2004.
5. Siaka Stevens, Prime Minister of Sierra Lione (Inaugurated and ousted on the same day)
Siaka Stevens is listed as the prime minister of Sierra Lione with the shortest term and the longest-serving president in Sierra Leone's history. Elected in fierce elections in 1967, he was ousted and arrested in a military coup on the same day as his inauguration.
Thus, Steven, returned to power a year after his military rule and then as president from 1971 to 1985. His government was plagued with dictatorships and various human rights and election violations.