Joe Biden’s recent decision to step down from his re-election campaign has brought the issue of gerontocracy into loud focus, resurrecting a topic that has long boiled under the surface of politics: gerontocracy, the rule by the old. With all due respect to the wisdom of our elders, it’s time to face the music and set age limits for presidential candidates. But the gerontocracy question is not just an American problem, it is a Liberian problem. Our constitution insists that you must be at least 35 years old to run for president, a threshold that might have made sense in the past but is increasingly irrelevant today.
By Duku Jallah, dukujallah@gmail.com, Contributing Writer
When the framers of the Liberian Constitution mirrored the U.S. Constitution and set the age threshold at 35, they had their reasons: life expectancy was lower and career paths were more linear. The framers believed that a certain level of maturity and life experience was necessary to handle the seriousness of leadership and they were right. But times have changed, that was 1847. Today, young people are more educated, informed, and capable than ever before. Information is at our fingertips and young people all around are proving their mettle globally, this age-old requirement feels like a relic from a bygone era. It’s time to drag this thinking, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century.
In Liberia 74.6 percent of the population is under 35 years old, this is almost 4 million of the 5 million people living here. The exclusion of young people from participating fully in the democratic process is a glaring case of discrimination. When we bar youth from the presidential race, we are sidelining the very people who are most affected by the political decisions made by our leaders. It’s like having a game and telling the best players they can only watch from the sidelines.
Experience is valuable and there is no doubt about this but over 200 years of governance, the gerontocracy has not provided exceptional leadership. And this is partly because older people experience physical and cognitive decline – science has proven that physical and cognitive decline can hinder people’s ability to govern effectively. Everybody knows that the challenges facing Liberia are complex, so it will make more sense of our leaders are agile, tech-savvy, and deeply connected to contemporary issues. Younger people are more likely to possess these qualities, bringing fresh energy and innovative solutions to the table. The challenges we face today require leaders who can think on their feet and adapt quickly to new information and changing circumstances.
Look around the world, and you’ll find young people making waves and delivering tangible change – these leaders are living proof that age does not dictate the ability to govern effectively. They bring a blend of dynamism, innovation, and relatability that older leaders often struggle to match.
Nobody should be too young to run for president. Leadership qualities are not confined to the pages of a birth certificate. Lowering the age limit would not only encourage political participation among the youth but also ensure that their voices and concerns are represented at the highest levels. It’s high time we gave the youth a fair shake at leadership. After all, the future belongs to them.
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