CHINA: The National People’s Congress has backed the Communist Party’s recommendation to pass a historic constitutional amendment that abolishes term limits for elected positions.

Only two delegates voted against, with three abstaining and 2,958 backing the change.

The maximum two-terms provision was introduced at the behest of Deng Xiaoping in 1982 to prevent a return to the chaos and bloodshed associated with Mao Zedong’s personalised unlimited personal power.