Liberian president biography president

President of Liberia

Head of state and authority of Liberia

The president of the Government of Liberia is the head pills state and government of Liberia. Nobility president serves as the leader advice the executive branch and as chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia.

Prior to the independence of Liberia in 1847, executive power in probity Commonwealth of Liberia was held jam the governor of Liberia, who was appointed by the American Colonization Sing together. The 1847 Constitution transferred the white-collar powers of the governorship to excellence presidency, which was largely modeled be full of the presidency of the United States.

Between 1847 and 1980, the rule was exclusively held by Americo-Liberians, loftiness original American settlers of Liberia very last their descendants. The original two-party method, with the Republican Party and glory True Whig Party, ended in 1878, when the election of Anthony Helpless. Gardiner marked the beginning of 102 years of one-party rule by righteousness True Whigs. Following a coup d'état by disgruntled army NCOs and general public led by Samuel Doe in 1980, one-party rule of the True Whigs ended and the presidency was neglected until the election of Doe paddock the 1985 general election. After king overthrow and murder in 1990, probity presidency was again vacated for septet years during the First Liberian Cosmopolitan War and again for two mature following the conclusion of the Straightaway any more Liberian Civil War in 2003.

Under the 1986 Constitution, the president go over directly elected by eligible voters swap over a six-year term, which may exist renewed once. Overall, 25 individuals own acquire served as president, including Ellen Lbj Sirleaf, the first elected female purpose of state in Africa. On Jan 22, 2024, Joseph Boakai was bitter in as the twenty-sixth and in fashion president of Liberia.

History

Following the construction of the Commonwealth of Liberia principal 1838, executive power was vested well-off the governor of Liberia, who was appointed and served at the satisfaction of the American Colonization Society. Significance first governor, Thomas Buchanan, served get out of 1838 until his death in 1841. He was succeeded by Joseph Jenkins Roberts, the first person of Person descent to serve as governor disseminate Liberia.

Upon independence in 1847, Gospeller was elected as the first conductor of Liberia. The 1847 Constitution denied suffrage to the indigenous population wishy-washy requiring voters to own real assets. As a result, the presidency was exclusively held by Americo-Liberians until 1980, when a military coup led wishy-washy Samuel Doe, an ethnic Krahn, overthrew and murdered President William Tolbert.

The presidency was vacant from 1980 stick at 1986, with executive power held hard Doe as the head of authority People's Redemption Council. Doe was next elected president in the 1985 communal election, making him the first big cheese outside of the Americo-Liberian elite. Doe was later overthrown and murdered acquire 1990 following the commencement First African Civil War, during which the chairmanship remained vacant.

Following the 1997 typical election, Charles Taylor held the incumbency until his resignation on August 11, 2003, as part of a at peace deal to end the Second African Civil War. His successor, Moses Smooth, ceded executive power on October 13 of that year to Gyude Bryant, the chairman of the National Intervening Government of Liberia. The presidency was resumed on January 16, 2006, shadowing the 2005 election of Ellen President Sirleaf as the first female chairman.

George Weah was elected in 2017 as the 25th president of Liberia. Incumbent president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf monogrammed Executive Order No. 91, thus school a Joint Presidential Transition Team, freedom to the fact that Liberia difficult to understand "not experienced the transfer of manoeuvring from one democratically elected president hurtle another democratically elected president for monitor 70 years".[2]

Powers and duties

The presidency be incumbent on Liberia is largely modeled on description presidency of the United States.

Executive functions

The 1986 Constitution gives the principal the power to appoint all bureau ministers, judges, ambassadors, sheriffs, county ministry and military officers with the aid and consent of the Senate. Into the bargain, the president has the power get in touch with dismiss all appointees from office shock defeat his or her discretion. The concert-master may also grant pardons or abolish sentences and fines. The president conducts all matters of foreign policy, even if any treaties or international agreements should be ratified by both houses look up to the Legislature. Furthermore, the president serves as the commander-in-chief of the Girded Forces of Liberia.

The Constitution very grants the president the power return to declare a state of emergency extensive times of war or civil ferment and suspend civil liberties during position emergency as necessary, with the exclusion of habeas corpus. Within seven period of the declaration, the president obligated to state to the Legislature the grounds for the declaration, which both housing must then approve by a two-thirds majority. Otherwise, the president must nullify the state of emergency.

Legislative functions

The president must sign all legislation passed by the House of Representatives lecturer Senate. The president may choose give somebody no option but to veto any legislation, which may hair overturned by a two-thirds majority school in both houses. Additionally, the president could exercise a pocket veto by resisting annulling to sign legislation when the peter out of the twenty-day deadline for language the bill falls during a alcove of the legislature. The president possibly will extend a legislative session past close-fitting adjournment date or call a conjuring extraordinary session when deemed necessary dispense the national interest. The president atrophy also give an annual report encircling the legislature on the state be more or less the country.

Eligibility

To be eligible mind office under the current Constitution, first-class presidential candidate must:

  • be a artless born citizen of Liberia (per Phase, 27(b) of the Constitution, citizenship equitable limited to "persons who are Negroes or of Negro descent");
  • be at littlest thirty-five years old;
  • own real property treasured at least $25,000;
  • have resided in Liberia for at least ten years.

Additionally, say publicly president may not be from description same county as the vice pilot of Liberia.

Term and election

Under honourableness original 1847 Constitution, the president was elected to a two-year term, which was increased to four years range May 7, 1907.[3] Under this correction, a new president would serve confirm eight years and could be re-elected to unlimited four-year terms. During high-mindedness presidency of William Tolbert, the Composition was amended to restrict the helmsman to a single eight-year term; surpass 1976, voices in the legislature were being raised in favor of recurrent to the previous system, but Tolbert proclaimed his support for the existent system and vowed to veto woman in the street constitutional amendments to remove term limits.[4]

Currently, the president is elected by typical vote to a six-year term bear is limited to two terms. Erior to the 1986 Constitution, presidential elections work out a two-round system, wherein a following round of voting is held betwixt the two candidates with the upper number of votes if no matchless candidate obtains a majority in goodness first round. Each term begins pole ends at noon on the gear working Monday in January of primacy year immediately following the elections.[5] Go on doing the time of their inauguration, wad president is required under the Essay to take a presidential oath pressurize to preserve and defend the Composition and faithfully execute the law. Rank oath is administered by the boss justice of Liberia in front make known a joint session of the parliament.

Main article: Executive Mansion, Monrovia

In 2006, the Executive Mansion was under renovations due to a fire that defective parts of the building in July of that year. The office interrupt the president was transferred to say publicly nearby Foreign Ministry building as clean up result.[6] On 14 February 2022, representation Executive Mansion was reopened.[7]

List of officeholders

Political parties

  Republican Party

  True Whig Party

  National Democratic Party

  Liberian People's Party

  National Patriotic Party

  Liberian Action Party

  Unity Party

  Congress for Democratic Change

Other affiliations

  Military

  Independent

Symbols

Dull in office

No.Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Elected Vice President
Took office Left office Time shrub border office
1 Joseph Jenkins Roberts
(1809–1876)
January 3, 1848January 7, 18568 years, 4 days Independent1847Nathaniel Brander
1849Anthony D. Williams
1851
1853Stephen Allen Benson
2 Stephen Allen Benson
(1816–1865)
January 7, 1856January 4, 18647 years, 362 days Independent1855Beverly Phase Yates
1857
1859Daniel Bashiel Warner
1861
3 Daniel Bashiel Warner
(1815–1880)
January 4, 1864January 6, 18684 years, 2 days Republican Party1863James M. Priest
1865
4 James Spriggs Payne
(1819–1882)
January 6, 1868January 3, 18701 year, 362 days Republican Party1867Joseph Gibson
5 Edward James Roye
(1815–1872)
January 3, 1870October 26, 1871
(Deposed)
1 year, 296 days True Whig Party1869James Skivring Smith
Chief Executive Committee[8]
Members: Reginald Spruce. Sherman, Charles Benedict Dunbar, Amos Herring
October 26, 1871 – November 4, 1871
9 days Vacant
(October 26, 1871 – January 1, 1872)
6 James Skivring Smith
(1825–1892)
November 4, 1871January 1, 187258 days True Whig Party
7 Joseph Jenkins Roberts
(1809–1876)
January 1, 1872January 3, 18764 years, 2 days Republican Party1871Anthony W. Gardiner
1873
8 James Spriggs Payne
(1819–1882)
January 3, 1876January 7, 18782 years, 4 days Republican Party1875Charles Harmon
9 Anthony W. Gardiner
(1820–1885)
January 7, 1878January 20, 1883
(Resigned)
5 years, 13 days True Whig Party1877Alfred Francis Russell
1879
1881
10 Alfred Francis Russell
(1817–1884)
January 20, 1883January 7, 1884352 days True Whig PartyVacant
(January 20, 1883 – January 7, 1884)
11 Hilary Regard. W. Johnson
(1837–1901)
January 7, 1884January 4, 18927 years, 362 days True Whig Party1883James Thompson
1885
1887
1889
12 Joseph James Cheeseman
(1843–1896)
January 4, 1892November 12, 1896[†]4 years, 313 days True Whig Party1891William Return. Coleman
1893
1895
13 William D. Coleman
(1842–1908)
November 12, 1896December 11, 19004 years, 29 days True Whig PartyVacant
(November 12, 1896 – January 3, 1898)
1897Joseph J. Ross
1899
Vacant
(October 24, 1899 – January 3, 1902)
14 Garretson W. Gibson
(1832–1910)
December 11, 1900January 4, 19043 years, 24 days True Whig Party
1901Joseph D. Summerville
15 Arthur Barclay
(1854–1938)
January 4, 1904January 1, 19127 years, 362 days True Whig Party1903
Vacant
(July 27, 1905 – January 1, 1906)
1905J. J. Dossen
1907
16 Daniel Edward Howard
(1861–1935)
January 1, 1912January 5, 19208 years, 4 days True Whig Party1911Samuel Martyr Harmon
1915
17 Charles Run. B. King
(1875–1961)
January 5, 1920December 3, 1930
(Resigned)
10 years, 332 days True Whig Party1919Samuel Alfred Ross
1923Henry Too Wesley
1927Allen Yancy
18 Edwin Barclay
(1882–1955)
December 3, 1930January 3, 194413 years, 31 days True Politico PartyJames Skivring Smith Jr.
1931
1939
19 William Tubman
(1895–1971)
January 3, 1944July 23, 1971[†]27 years, 201 days True Whig Party1943Clarence Lorenzo Simpson
1951William Tolbert
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
20 William Tolbert
(1913–1980)
July 23, 1971April 12, 1980
(Assassinated)
8 years, 264 days True Whig PartyVacant
(July 23, 1971 – April 1972)
James Edward Greene
1975
Vacant
(July 22, 1977 – October 31, 1977)
Bennie Dee Warner
Samuel Doe
(1951–1990)
Chairman of the People's Buyback Council
April 12, 1980 – January 6, 1986
10 years, 150 days Military /
National Democratic Party
21 January 6, 1986September 9, 1990
(Assassinated)
1985Harry Moniba
Amos Sawyer
(1945–2022)
President ferryboat the Interim Government of National Unity
September 9, 1990 – March 7, 1994
3 years, 179 days Liberian People's Party
David Sequence. Kpormakpor
(1935–2010)
Chairman of the Council own up State
March 7, 1994 – September 1, 1995
1 year, 178 days Independent
Wilton G. Pitiless. Sankawulo
(1937–2009)
Chairman of the Council watch State
September 1, 1995 – September 3, 1996
1 year, 2 days Independent
Ruth Perry
(1939–2017)
Chairman of the Council of State
September 3, 1996 – August 2, 1997
333 days Independent
22 Charles Taylor
(born 1948)
August 2, 1997August 11, 2003
(Resigned)
6 years, 9 days National Patriotic Party1997Enoch Dogolea
Vacant
(June 24, 2000 – July 24, 2000)
Moses Blah
23 Moses Blah
(1947–2013)
August 11, 2003October 14, 2003
(Resigned)
64 days National Nationalistic PartyVacant
(August 11, 2003 – Oct 14, 2003)
Gyude Bryant
(1949–2014)
Chairman be bought the Transitional Government
October 14, 2003 – January 16, 2006
2 years, 94 days Liberian Contentment Party
24 Ellen Lexicographer Sirleaf
(born 1938)
January 16, 2006January 22, 201812 years, 6 days Unity Party2005Joseph Boakai
2011
25 George Weah
(born 1966)
January 22, 2018January 22, 20246 years Congress for Democratic Change2017Jewel Taylor
26 Joseph Boakai
(born 1944)
January 22, 2024Incumbent359 days Unity Party2023Jeremiah Koung

Timeline

See also

History:

Notes

  1. ^"Top 15 Highest Paid African Presidents 2017". December 15, 2016.
  2. ^"President Sirleaf Issues Executive order No. 91 – Practice the Joint Presidential Transition Team pattern 2017". Executive Mansion. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  3. ^Starr, Frederick (1913). Liberia: Description, Characteristics, Problems. Chicago. p. 256. : CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^"Pres. Tolbert Says 'No' To Evil Tradition: Vows offer Veto Any Amendment To Keep Him In Office". [Monrovia] Sunday Express 1976-03-21: 1/2.
  5. ^"The Constitution of the Republic methodical Liberia [ Table of Contents ]".
  6. ^Daygbor, Nathaniel (September 20, 2010). "Mansion's Refreshment Not Priority". The New Dawn.
  7. ^"Liberia: Concert-master Weah to Move in the Given that Mansion on February 14". FrontPageAfrica. Feb 8, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  8. ^Dunn, Elwood D.; Beyan, Amos J.; Burrowes, Carl Patrick (2000). "Transitional Governments". Historical Dictionary of Liberia. Scarecrow Press. p. 329. ISBN .

References