El Salvador’s Congress has approved sweeping constitutional amendments that eliminate presidential term limits, effectively allowing President Nayib Bukele to seek re-election without restriction.
The reforms, which were pushed through via an expedited legislative process, also extend presidential terms from five to six years and reschedule the next general elections to 2027, BBC reports.
Bukele, who has governed the Central American nation since 2019, remains a deeply divisive figure. While his tough anti-crime policies enjoy significant public approval, human rights groups have expressed concern over widespread arbitrary arrests and reported abuses during his administration.
“Today, democracy has died in El Salvador,” declared Marcela Villatoro, an opposition MP from the Republican National Alliance (Arena).
The legislation passed with the support of 57 lawmakers aligned with Bukele in the Legislative Assembly. Only three opposition members voted against it. Critics fear the move will entrench one-party rule in the country.
Although Bukele was re-elected in 2024 despite constitutional limits on consecutive terms, a 2021 ruling by the nation’s top court—reportedly filled with his loyalists—had declared that re-election was a “fundamental human right,” effectively opening the path for his extended leadership.
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Under the new provisions, Bukele’s current term will be cut short by two years to synchronize presidential, legislative, and municipal elections in 2027—scrapping the previous staggered format.
Despite his widespread popularity due to a sharp drop in homicide rates under his administration’s anti-gang measures, Bukele has drawn criticism from rights organisations for alleged mass detentions and excessive use of emergency powers, which have reportedly resulted in the arrests of over 75,000 people.
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