El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly, dominated by President Nayib Bukele’s New Ideas party, has ratified sweeping constitutional reforms that abolish presidential term limits, extend terms from five to six years, and eliminate runoff elections. This shift empowers Bukele to run indefinitely starting in 2027, when elections are recalibrated to align presidential, legislative, and municipal ballots.
Critics warning of authoritarian consolidation now point to a dramatic transformation in the nation’s governance structure. Human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and Cristosal have described the changes as moves toward a Venezuela style system, with institutional checks dismantled and civil society under duress. Opposition lawmakers reported the vote 57 in favor and only three opposing happened overnight with minimal public consultation.
Since 2019, Bukele’s administration has leveraged emergency powers to crack down on gangs, suspended constitutional protections, and purged the judiciary. Thousands have fled the country amid political persecution. Supporters insist these reforms reflect the will of the people, citing public approval of his security agenda.
Yet opposition leaders and civil liberties advocates argue that indefinite reelection threatens democratic norms. Without alternating leadership or a second round voting mechanism, critics say, democratic accountability is effectively nullified. The changes raise alarms about media freedom, election integrity, and the future of El Salvador’s alternating leadership tradition.
Voting critics call the constitutional shift a critical pivot away from pluralistic democracy, emphasizing that power is now concentrated in the executive branch. For Bukele’s opponents and international observers, the reform signals the end of political alternation and sets a dramatic precedent in Central American governance.
