New constitutional changes in El Salvador allow indefinite presidential re-election and extend the presidential term from five to six years.
According to The Associated Press, El Salvador’s parliament has approved constitutional amendments enabling unlimited presidential re-election, paving the way for President Nayib Bukele to remain in power without time restrictions.
The decision, passed with 57 votes in favor and 3 against by Bukele’s Nuevas Ideas party and its allies, marks a turning point in the political history of the Central American country.
The package of five reforms reshapes El Salvador’s institutional framework: the presidential term is extended from five to six years, and the electoral runoff is abolished.
The political opposition has condemned these reforms as the end of democracy in the country. Deputy Marcela Villatoro, from the Nationalist Republican Alliance party, voiced strong concerns:
“You don’t realize what indefinite reelection brings: It brings an accumulation of power and weakens democracy… there’s corruption and clientelism because nepotism grows and halts democracy and political participation.”
Government lawmaker Ana Figueroa proposed shortening Bukele’s current term by two years, making it end on June 1, 2027 instead of 2029, to synchronize presidential and congressional elections. Figueroa justified the changes by arguing that eliminating the runoff will save about $50 million per election.
El Salvador’s stance remains under international scrutiny. According to the International Monetary Fund, following a $1.4 billion loan agreement signed in December 2024, El Salvador has halted its bitcoin purchases.
