President of Liberia
The President of the Republic of Liberia is the head of state and government of Liberia. The president serves as the leader of the executive branch and as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia.
| President of the Republic of Liberia | |
|---|---|
 Presidential Standard | |
| Style | Mr. President (Informal) His Excellency (Formal) |
| Residence | Executive Mansion |
| Term length | Six years, renewable once |
| Inaugural holder | Joseph Jenkins Roberts January 3, 1848 |
| Formation | Constitution of Liberia July 26, 1847 |
| Deputy | Vice President of Liberia |
| Salary | US$90,000 annually |
| Website | www |
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The current President is Joseph Boakai since January 22, 2024.
History
changeBetween 1847 and 1980, the presidency was exclusively held by Americo-Liberians, the original American settlers of Liberia and their descendants. The original two-party system, with the Republican Party and the True Whig Party, ended in 1878, when the election of Anthony W. Gardiner marked the beginning of 102 years of single-party rule by the True Whigs.
Under the 1986 Constitution, the president is directly elected by eligible voters to a six-year term, which may be renewed once. Overall, 22 individuals have served as president. On January 22, 2018, George Weah was sworn in as the twenty-fifth and current president.
Terms
changeUnder the original 1847 Constitution, the president was elected to a two-year term, which was increased to four years on May 7, 1907.[1] Under this amendment, a new president would serve for eight years and could be re-elected to unlimited four-year terms.
Currently, the president is elected by popular vote to a six-year term and is limited to two terms.
Eligibility
changeTo be eligible for office under the current Constitution, a presidential candidate must:
- be a natural born citizen of Liberia (per Art, 27(b) of the Constitution, citizenship is limited to "persons who are Negroes or of Negro descent");
- be at least thirty-five years old;
- own real property valued at least $25,000;
- have resided in Liberia for at least ten years.
List of presidents of Liberia
change| N | Portrait | President (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | ||||
| 1 | 
|
Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809–1876) |
January 3, 1848 | January 7, 1856 | Independent |
| 2 | Nathaniel Brander
(1796–1870) |
January 7, 1849 | January 7, 1849 | Independent | |
| (1) |
|
Joseph Jenkins Roberts
(1809–1876) |
January 7, 1849 | January 7, 1853 | Independent |
| 3 | Anthony D. Williams
(1799–1860 ) |
January 7, 1853 | January 7, 1853 | Independent | |
| (1) |
|
Joseph Jenkins Roberts
(1809–1876) |
January 7, 1853 | January 7, 1853 | Independent |
| 4 | Anthony D. Williams
(1799–1860 ) |
January 7, 1853 | January 7, 1853 | Independent | |
| (1) |
|
Joseph Jenkins Roberts
(1809–1876) |
January 7, 1853 | January 7, 1856 | Independent |
| 5 | 
|
Stephen Allen Benson (1816–1865) |
January 7, 1856 | January 4, 1864 | Independent |
| 6 | 
|
Daniel Bashiel Warner (1815–1880) |
January 4, 1864 | January 6, 1868 | Republican Party |
| 7 | 
|
James Spriggs Payne (1819–1882) |
January 6, 1868 | January 3, 1870 | Republican Party |
| 8 | 
|
Edward James Roye (1815–1872) |
January 3, 1870 | October 26 , 1871 (Deposed) |
True Whig Party |
| 9 | Charles Benedict Dunbar (1831 —1878) | October 26 , 1871 | November 15,1871 | Independent | |
| 10 | Reginald Sherman
( 1838 — 1894) |
November 15,1871 | November 20,1871 | Independent | |
| 11 | Amos Herring
(1794 — 1890) |
November 20,1871 | November 27,1871 | Independent | |
| 12 | 
|
James Skivring Smith (1825–1892) |
November 27,1871 | January 1, 1872 | True Whig Party |
| (1) |
|
Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809–1876) |
January 1, 1872 | January 3, 1876 (Died) |
Republican Party |
| (8) |
|
James Spriggs Payne (1819–1882) |
January 3, 1876 | January 7, 1878 | Republican Party |
| 13 | 
|
Anthony W. Gardiner (1820–1885) |
January 7, 1878 | January 20, 1883 (Resigned) |
Independent |
| 14 | 
|
Alfred Francis Russell (1817–1884) |
January 20, 1883 | January 7, 1884 | True Whig Party |
| 15 | 
|
Hilary R. W. Johnson (1837–1901) |
January 7, 1884 | January 4, 1892 | True Whig Party |
| 16 | 
|
Joseph James Cheeseman (1843–1896) |
January 4, 1892 | November 12, 1896 (Died) |
True Whig Party |
| 17 | 
|
William D. Coleman (1842–1908) |
November 12, 1896 | December 11, 1900 | True Whig Party |
| 18 | 
|
Garretson W. Gibson (1832–1910) |
December 11, 1900 | January 4, 1904 | True Whig Party |
| 19 | 
|
Arthur Barclay (1854–1938) |
January 4, 1904 | January 1, 1912 | True Whig Party |
| 20 | 
|
Daniel Edward Howard (1861–1935) |
January 1, 1912 | January 5, 1920 | True Whig Party |
| 21 | .jpg)
|
Charles D. B. King (1875–1961) |
January 5, 1920 | December 3, 1930 (Resigned) |
True Whig Party |
| 22 | 
|
Edwin Barclay (1882–1955) |
December 3, 1930 | January 3, 1944 | True Whig Party |
| 23 | 
|
William Tubman (1895–1971) |
January 3, 1944 | July 23, 1971 (Died) |
True Whig Party |
| 24 | 
|
William Tolbert (1913–1980) |
July 23, 1971 | April 12, 1980 (Assassinated) |
True Whig Party |
| - | 
|
Samuel Doe (1951–1990) |
Chairman of the People's Redemption Council April 12, 1980 – January 6, 1986 |
Military / | |
| 25 | January 6, 1986 | September 9, 1990 | Military / | ||
| 26 | Prince Johnson (b. 1952) | September 9, 1990 | November 1 , 1990 | MilitaryConflicting claims | |
| 27 | Charles Taylor (b. 1948) | November 1 , 1990 | November 7 , 1990 | MilitaryConflicting claims | |
| 28 | David Nimley
(b. 1940) |
November 7 , 1990 | November 9 , 1990 | MilitaryConflicting claims | |
| 29 | 
|
Amos Sawyer (born 1945) |
President of the Interim Government of National Unity of Liberia September 9, 1990 – March 7, 1994 |
Liberian People's Party | |
| 30 |
|
David D. Kpormakpor (1935–2010) |
Chairman of the Council of State of Liberia March 7, 1994 – September 1, 1995 |
Independent | |
| 31 |
|
Wilton G. S. Sankawulo (1937–2009) |
Chairman of the Council of State of Liberia September 1, 1995 – September 3, 1996 |
Independent | |
| 32 |
|
Ruth Perry (1939–2017) |
Chairman of the Council of State of Liberia September 3, 1996 – August 2, 1997 |
Independent | |
| (27) | 
|
Charles Taylor (1948–) |
August 2, 1997 | August 11, 2003 (Resigned) |
National Patriotic Party |
| 33 |
|
Moses Blah (1947–2013) |
August 11, 2003 | October 14, 2003 (Resigned) |
National Patriotic Party |
| 34 | 
|
Gyude Bryant (1949–2014) |
Chairman of the Transitional Government of Liberia October 14, 2003 – January 16, 2006 |
Liberian Action Party | |
| 35 | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (1938–) |
January 16, 2006 | January 22, 2010 | Unity Party | |
| 36 | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
(1938–) |
January 22, 2010 | January 22, 2016 | Unity Party | |
| 37 | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
(1938–) |
January 22, 2016 | January 22, 2018 | Unity Party | |
| 38 | .jpg)
|
George Weah (1966–) |
January 22, 2018 | January 22, 2024 | Congress for Democratic Change |
| 39 | Joseph Boakai
(born 1944) |
January 22, 2024 | Incumbent | Unity Party | |
References
change- ↑ Starr, Frederick (1913). Liberia: Description, History, Problems. Chicago. p. 256. ISBN 9780598450234.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Other websites
change- Enno Schulz, "Presidents of Liberia Archived 2006-06-15 at the Wayback Machine.