El Salvador’s ruling party has passed a sweeping bill that overhauls the country’s electoral system, effectively paving the way for President Nayib Bukele to remain in power indefinitely. The legislation, passed by Bukele’s New Ideas party with a dominant 57-3 majority in Congress, introduces major constitutional changes: allowing indefinite presidential re-election, extending presidential terms from five to six years, and eliminating the need for runoff elections.
The changes also include a restructuring of the electoral calendar to synchronize presidential, legislative, and municipal elections starting in 2027, a move expected to benefit the ruling party by consolidating its influence across all levels of government. Bukele, who secured a second term last year despite a constitutional ban, previously avoided addressing whether he would pursue a third term. His re-election was enabled by a 2021 court ruling from a judiciary restructured with his loyalists, which interpreted term limits as a violation of his human rights.
Supporters of the bill, including New Ideas lawmaker Ana Figueroa, argue that the reforms empower voters to determine how long public officials, including the president, should serve. However, the few remaining opposition lawmakers expressed grave concerns. Legislator Marcela Villatoro of the ARENA party declared, “Today, democracy has died in El Salvador,” warning that the new laws would entrench one-party rule.
Critics also raised alarms about the lack of public debate and transparency surrounding the bill’s passage. Human rights organizations, such as Cristosal—which recently relocated out of El Salvador citing repression—have condemned the reform as a slide into authoritarianism. They note that Bukele’s popularity, largely driven by his hardline crackdown on gangs, has come at the cost of civil liberties and democratic norms, with numerous reports of wrongful detentions and suppression of dissent.
The move signals a deepening of Bukele’s grip on power and places El Salvador on a path many observers say mirrors the playbook of authoritarian regimes, where electoral and judicial reforms are used to maintain indefinite control.
