The constitutions of many countries stipulate a minimum age of candidacy for the post of president. For example, the constitutions of Brazil, India and Austria make it necessary for presidential candidates to be not less than 35 years old. Constitutions in Germany, Turkey and Egypt, after the Revolution of 2011, make it necessary for the candidate to be not less than 40 years old.
Constitutions, however, do not specify a maximum age for candidacy for the top post in any country. I think there are two reasons for this. Some countries are governed by republican regimes and others by monarchical ones. In republican political systems, presidents can be elected for a specific number of terms. This means that the president in these systems does not rule for life.
Parties usually field their strongest candidates in elections in their bid to win the race. Therefore, citizens over 70 years of age rarely venture to nominate themselves. Ronald Reagan was the only American president to buck this trend. He was nearing 70 when he threw down the gauntlet to his rivals in the presidential race. As for the other 43 American presidents, most of them were in their fifties when they ran for the post.
In constitutional monarchies, the king has no real power. He is a mere symbol, and does not rule. He often performs ceremonial duties. This is why it is not important to specify an age limit for the king in such a political system. No wonder, then, that Queen Elizabeth II of Britain is 87 years old. She is the head of state of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms.
The situation, however, is a bit different in the Gulf Cooperation Council member states. The ruler – be it a king, emir or sultan – has real and substantial powers. The ruler can take important constitutional decisions unilaterally. Some of these decisions dramatically affect the lives of citizens in these countries. This is why it is important to specify an age limit for rulers in this part of the world.
Science tells us that the immune system gets weaker as humans grow older. Older people are also prone to all sorts of diseases. They need help from others to do almost everything. This can affect the way they function if they are in power.
This is why I suggest that the constitutions of GCC member states include an article on the maximum age limit for the ruler and the crown prince. The crown prince should not be older than 60 at the time of appointment. The crown prince should also retire when he reaches the age of 75. The king should also retire when he reaches the age of 75.
