Angela Merkel, currently the longest-serving leader in the European Union, won a fourth term on Sunday as German chancellor.

Among the European Union’s neighbors, only Russia, Belarus and Turkey have leaders who have been in power longer.

How Long European Leaders Have Been in Power

Germany, like most European countries, does not restrict the number of terms a head of government can serve. The United States, on the other hand, does limit the president to two four-year terms.

Looking back at governments on the European continent since 1990, Ms. Merkel is now among a small cadre of leaders who served more than 12 years, a group that includes Helmut Kohl, her onetime mentor, and François Mitterrand, a former French president.

In the chart below, each line represents the career of one European leader. The leaders still in office are highlighted in blue and purple.

In the West, Merkel Is Among the Longest Serving Leaders

Among Western European leaders who were first elected after World War II, Ms. Merkel ranks 15th. She's the only leader on the list who is still in power.

1. Mr. Urho Kekkonen Finland 26 years 1956 - 1981 2. Mr. Tage Erlander Sweden 23 years 1946 - 1969 3. Mr. Pierre Werner Luxembourg 20 years 1959 - 1984 4. Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker Luxembourg 19 years 1995 - 2013 5. Mr. Helmut Kohl Germany 16 years 1982 - 1998 6. Ms. Angela Merkel Germany 14 years 2005 - 2020 7. Mr. Konrad Adenauer Germany 14 years 1949 - 1963 8. Mr. Mitterrand France 14 years 1981 - 1995 9. Mr. González Márquez Spain 13 years 1982 - 1996 10. Mr. Konstantinos Karamanlis Greece 13 years 1955 - 1980 11. Mr. Bruno Kreisky Austria 13 years 1970 - 1983 12. Mr. Mauno Koivisto Finland 12 years 1981 - 1994 13. Mr. Wilfried Martens Belgium 12 years 1979 - 1992 14. Ms. Tarja Halonen Finland 12 years 2000 - 2012 15. Mr. Jacques Chirac France 12 years 1995 - 2007 Western Europe includes the 15 countries who signed the Amsterdam treaty in 1997.

Merkel Stands Apart From Other European Leaders

The economic strength of Germany along with Ms. Merkel’s longevity in power emphasizes her formidable position compared with other leaders on the continent.

Even before Sunday’s election, some of Ms. Merkel’s allies were suggesting that she could run for yet another term. But analysts doubt she would try. They point to her onetime mentor, Helmut Kohl, who became known as the “eternal chancellor” but was politically weakened in his final term.