El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection

Parliamentarians in El Salvador have passed constitutional reforms that critics fear will allow President Nayib Bukele to tighten his grip.

El Salvador's parliamentarians on Thursday approved changes to the constitution under which the presidential term has been extended to six years and the limit to presidential reelection has been removed.

These amendments to the constitution will allow incumbent President Nayib Bukele — who enjoys overwhelming majority support in parliament — to run indefinitely.

The review of the constitutional changes was carried out quickly in the Legislative Assembly. It was passed by Bukele's 57 supporters, and only three opposition members voted against it.

The changes were proposed by lawmaker Ana Figueroa from Bukele's New Ideas party. The new rules also eliminate the second round of the election, where the top two candidates in the first round face each other in a run-off.

More power for the 'cool dictator'

The constitutional reforms will not only allow the extension of the presidential term and removal of the two-round election system but will also allow re-election "without reservations."

Bukele, who describes himself as the "cool dictator," has held his position as the president since 2019. He was re-elected in 2024 with a sweeping majority after the Supreme Court allowed him to bypass a constitutional ban on successive terms.

The re-election helped Bukele solidify his control over state institutions and the parliament.

"Thank you for making history, fellow deputies," said the president of the Legislative Assembly, Ernesto Castro, also a member of New Ideas, after counting the votes.

How did the opposition react?

Meanwhile, the opposition slammed the passage of the reforms, questioning the timing of the proposal.

"This day, democracy has died in El Salvador... The masks were removed," said opposition lawmaker Marcela Villatoro during the parliamentary session, criticizing the proposal being brought forward as the country is distracted by the summer holiday period.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher