Despite her staunch opposition to the city’s term limit law, the speaker of the City Council, Christine Quinn, said today she is abandoning efforts to change the rules, which bar elected officials in the city from holding the same office for more than two consecutive terms.

Ms. Quinn said she would not support legislation in the council to change term limits, nor seek or support a referendum to eliminate or alter term limits.

“The voters have spoken twice, and whether or not I agree or disagree with them, the reality is the voters have made their will very, very clear and we in the city council need to abide by the terms the voters have put in place,” she said. “I don’t agree with term limits, but they are the will of the voters.”

Mayor Bloomberg, who has also said voter preference is clear on the issue, said today that Ms. Quinn’s decision was “a smart thing for her to do.” New Yorkers have twice voted in the 1990s to support term limits for elected officials.

Mr. Bloomberg said he is planning to speak with city lawyers about possibly drafting a ballot referendum to prevent the council from voting to extend its term limits in the future.

“There is this technical imperfection, if you will, in the existing law that was approved by the public, where in theory the City Council could go and override the wishes of the public and I think that that should be taken away,” he said.

Ms. Quinn, who is considered a likely candidate for mayor, said she would not support a referendum that would limit the legislative authority of the council.

The council has considered overturning term limits in recent years, but pulled back in 2006 after a survey commissioned by Ms. Quinn found only four in 10 New Yorkers favored allowing a council member to hold his office more than eight years. As recently as October, Ms. Quinn said the council had not made a final decision on what to do about term limits.

The executive director of the government watchdog Citizens Union, Richard Dadey, said in a statement today that he is concerned Ms. Quinn’s decision will close the door on the term limit debate.

“We fear that with less than two years until the next city election too many current council members are spending more time running for their next office instead of serving their constituents and giving the time needed to address important city issues,” Mr. Dadey said. “What is needed is a thoughtful and full public discussion on the issue before ruling in or out any change to term limits.”