German President Joachim Gauck’s decision not to stand for a second term sets a normative benchmark for politicians in the country and abroad. Politics has its rewards and challenges. The urge to exercise power and the lure of ambition dictates what politicians do. It is not only hard but nigh impossible to find a figure in position of power relinquish it so easily. By deciding not to take office once again after his first term ends, Gauck has lived up to the expectations and dignity of the high office.
Despite holding a largely ceremonial position, the German president is constitutionally endowed to be a moral compass of the nation. By showing that he is not eager to continue, the 76-year-old leader has set a new example in politics that puts values above ambition.
There is no dearth of heads of state and government doing everything within their means and without it to stick to power. Even democratically elected presidents without much real power have been known to twist rules to be in office even after the end of their constitutional term.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was the prime minister of the country in the throes of a battle of oneupmanship with the West since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The ambition of the former KGB spy got the better of him when he had more powers transferred to the presidency as part of a long-term plan to occupy the chair. He contested the presidential election and has since kept himself entrenched in the new position of power.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been working towards letting the parliament devolve more powers to the presidency. Turkey’s parliamentary form of government is in a virtual transition to a presidential one as Erdogan tries to assert authority.
Relinquishing office is a far cry, the mere mention of the subject in many authoritarian regimes is considered political blasphemy. Regimes such as Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s engage in torture and persecution of the opposition to keep power.
Many leaders in the Middle East were known to cling to power for decades, before the Arab Spring revolutions made history by throwing out Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, and Tunisia’s Zine Abidine Ben Ali. The three leaders had trampled the opposition and jailed dissidents to keep ruling.
Even by Europe’s standards of liberal democracies, Gauck deserves praise for deciding to end his presidential career after the first term. History will certainly judge him in glowing terms.
German President Joachim Gauck’s decision not to stand for a second term sets a normative benchmark for politicians in the country and abroad. Politics has its rewards and challenges. The urge to exercise power and the lure of ambition dictates what politicians do. It is not only hard but nigh impossible to find a figure in position of power relinquish it so easily. By deciding not to take office once again after his first term ends, Gauck has lived up to the expectations and dignity of the high office.
Despite holding a largely ceremonial position, the German president is constitutionally endowed to be a moral compass of the nation. By showing that he is not eager to continue, the 76-year-old leader has set a new example in politics that puts values above ambition.
There is no dearth of heads of state and government doing everything within their means and without it to stick to power. Even democratically elected presidents without much real power have been known to twist rules to be in office even after the end of their constitutional term.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was the prime minister of the country in the throes of a battle of oneupmanship with the West since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The ambition of the former KGB spy got the better of him when he had more powers transferred to the presidency as part of a long-term plan to occupy the chair. He contested the presidential election and has since kept himself entrenched in the new position of power.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been working towards letting the parliament devolve more powers to the presidency. Turkey’s parliamentary form of government is in a virtual transition to a presidential one as Erdogan tries to assert authority.
Relinquishing office is a far cry, the mere mention of the subject in many authoritarian regimes is considered political blasphemy. Regimes such as Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s engage in torture and persecution of the opposition to keep power.
Many leaders in the Middle East were known to cling to power for decades, before the Arab Spring revolutions made history by throwing out Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, and Tunisia’s Zine Abidine Ben Ali. The three leaders had trampled the opposition and jailed dissidents to keep ruling.
Even by Europe’s standards of liberal democracies, Gauck deserves praise for deciding to end his presidential career after the first term. History will certainly judge him in glowing terms.
