Amendment, Twenty-Second

Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1951, that limits the US presidency to two full terms.

Under the terms of this amendment, no person can be elected president more than twice, and no one who has served for more than two years of another president's term can be elected more than once. The Twenty-Second Amendment was drafted in response to the presidency of Franklin D Roosevelt, who was elected four times.

Although there had been no formal legislation regarding presidential terms, no president before Roosevelt had served more than two full terms. Roosevelt was first elected in 1932, then re-elected in 1936, 1940, and 1944. He died, however, less than three months after his inauguration in 1945, and vice-president Harry S Truman became president. The Twenty-Second Amendment, ratified while Truman was president, specifically excepted him from its provisions.