El Salvador’s National Assembly, controlled by President Nayib Bukele’s New Ideas party, has approved constitutional amendments that permit indefinite presidential reelection and extend the presidential term to six years.
The proposals, introduced by New Ideas lawmaker Ana Figueroa, passed with a 57-3 vote on Thursday, leveraging the party’s supermajority. The approved changes also eliminate the need for a second-round runoff election between the top two candidates.
This move follows Bukele’s overwhelming reelection victory last year, which occurred despite a constitutional ban. That ban was circumvented by a 2021 Supreme Court ruling from justices appointed by his party, who determined that a second term was permissible.
During the debate, Figueroa argued that other elected officials, such as federal lawmakers and mayors, are already eligible for unlimited reelection. “The only exception until now has been the presidency,” she stated. Figueroa also proposed adjusting the electoral calendar to align presidential and congressional elections, which would shorten Bukele’s current term but allow him to seek the newly extended six-year term two years sooner, in 2027.
The opposition strongly condemned the decision. “Democracy in El Salvador has died!” declared Marcela Villatoro of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (Arena), one of the three lawmakers who voted against the measure. “You don’t realize what indefinite reelection brings: It brings an accumulation of power and weakens democracy.”
In contrast, Assembly Vice President Suecy Callejas asserted that the changes returned power “to the only place that it truly belongs… to the Salvadoran people.” President Bukele did not issue an immediate comment.
Bukele, who once described himself as “the world’s coolest dictator,” maintains high popularity, primarily due to his aggressive crackdown on the nation’s powerful street gangs. His administration’s success in improving security has led many voters to overlook controversial measures, including the suspension of some constitutional rights and past allegations of negotiations with gangs. His hardline approach and political success have also inspired leaders in other countries throughout the region.
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