Age Limits in Politics

After watching the debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, both candidates for the US presidency, I have once again concluded that there should be an age limit for politicians or presidents involved in politics.

Many states on the planet are governed by elderly presidents, but the current US president, Joe Biden, has stood out in recent years for his strange behavior, which has raised many questions about his health. In many high-level meetings, Biden appeared weak, spoke slowly, and seemed to lose his train of thought; after the latest televised debate, with his shaky and hesitant demeanor, the conviction that doubts in both the American public and the international community were justified has increased. It is likely obvious that Biden's health problems have increased at the age of 81.

Although his performance was a real fiasco, the Democratic Party has very few candidates who could replace him in the November elections. If this change were to happen with someone other than the Democrats, it would be a huge plus and advantage for the Republicans. Although many Democrats believe that Joe Biden should withdraw from the race, it appears he has no intention of doing so. Even though Biden's performance has been labeled as "the worst debate performance in American history" and the New York Times has published an editorial titled "To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race," signaling that he could give up his candidacy, it is not thought that Biden will do so. Moreover, the president's wife, Jill Biden, has already said she would not discourage her husband. She said, "Look, Joe, we are not going to let 90 minutes wipe away four years of what you've accomplished as president."

When a politician's behavior becomes the subject of much debate, we see voters observing that the person they elected is speaking incorrectly, stumbling, or showing signs of aging. As both those who follow developments in the international political arena and those who vote for politicians, we ask ourselves these questions: How long should politicians remain in office? Do politicians need an age limit? What should the age limit be to become president? These questions and confusions are natural. We see such examples in Turkish politics as well.

For example, polls show that an increasing number of Americans have various concerns about their president's age. Can he communicate with his voters or other state leaders? The voter is confused and undecided; if re-elected, how long will he be able to serve? Images of President Joe Biden losing his balance while descending stairs, "freezing" while talking to other leaders, or slurring his words during speeches are going viral.

Current US President Joe Biden is 81 years old, and Republican candidate Donald Trump is 78 years old. They are the two oldest candidates to run for US president after having already run once before. Advanced age in the US is not just at the presidential level. After Bangladesh, the US has the oldest Congress in the world by age. Other countries with elderly members of parliament include South Korea, Japan, India, Malaysia, Luxembourg, and Hungary. According to Pew Research, most American voters want an age limit for politicians, but this would require amending the American Constitution. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley suggested in her presidential campaign that politicians over 75 should undergo a mental competency test.

Generally speaking, politics at the global level is represented by elderly politicians. The record belongs to 91-year-old Cameroonian President Paul Biya. He is followed by 88-year-old Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, 87-year-old King Salman of Saudi Arabia, 84-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and 81-year-old US President Joe Biden.

According to research, countries classified as "not free" by the Freedom House index are governed by presidents over the age of 68. The United States is one of three countries classified as free whose leader is 80 years of age or older; the other two are Ghana and Namibia.

I would like to state that I have great respect for elderly people involved in various fields of activity. However, elderly people need to know when to stop at the right time. Politics should not be the private domain of the elderly. Younger generations should not push elderly politicians aside either. The elderly should be guides for the young. It has been scientifically proven that brain volume decreases over time, and it has been proven that mental processing speed decreases from the age of 60. However, research also claims that in some cases, elderly brains actually perform better. While 70-year-olds are likely to process new information more slowly than 30-year-olds, they may be better at synthesizing information.

In a democratic state, the representation of various voices is a decisive element. Like gender, race, ethnicity, and religion, age is also a criterion for diversity. But when you see that you can no longer physically do a job, it is more correct to stop.

If we look at politics in Turkey, I would like to see discussions similar to those in the US, alongside slightly younger politicians, because we can only see what politicians can do regardless of their age through these discussions.