El Salvador Approves Sweeping Constitutional Reforms Allowing Indefinite Presidential Re-election

El Salvador's legislature has approved constitutional reforms allowing indefinite presidential re-election and longer terms, raising concerns about democratic erosion under President Nayib Bukele’s increasingly authoritarian rule.

El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly has passed a series of far-reaching constitutional reforms that permit indefinite presidential re-election and extend presidential terms from five to six years, deepening concerns over democratic backsliding in the Central American nation.

The reforms, proposed by lawmaker Ana Figueroa of President Nayib Bukele’s ruling New Ideas party, were approved on Thursday with a supermajority vote. In addition to allowing presidents to seek re-election without limitation, the changes eliminate the second round of voting in presidential elections — a measure previously used when no candidate achieved an outright majority in the first round.

The amendments could pave the way for President Bukele to stand for another, longer term two years earlier than expected, by ending his current term in 2027 instead of 2029 to synchronise presidential and legislative elections. The move has sparked controversy, with critics accusing Bukele of consolidating power and eroding El Salvador’s democratic foundations.

“This is a devastating blow to democracy in El Salvador,” said Marcela Villatoro of the opposition Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), one of only three lawmakers who voted against the reforms. “Indefinite re-election leads to the accumulation of power, fosters corruption, and weakens political participation.”

Bukele, a polarising figure on the international stage, has drawn both admiration and alarm for his aggressive crackdown on gang violence, which has significantly reduced crime rates but has also prompted serious concerns over human rights violations. His government has been criticised for arbitrary detentions, restricted freedoms, and the intimidation of political opponents and journalists.

Although Bukele has not yet publicly commented on the constitutional changes, members of his party have framed the move as a victory for popular sovereignty. “Power has returned to where it truly belongs — to the Salvadoran people,” said Legislative Assembly Vice President Suecy Callejas during the parliamentary session.

President Bukele was re-elected in 2024 despite a constitutional ban on consecutive terms. That decision was enabled by a controversial 2021 ruling from the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, whose justices were appointed by a newly elected Congress loyal to Bukele. The ruling allowed him to bypass term limits, setting the stage for the latest constitutional overhaul.

The reforms also come amid growing international concern. Human rights groups have condemned what they describe as an increasingly repressive political climate. In July, one of El Salvador’s most prominent human rights organisations announced it would relocate operations out of the country due to what it called a “wave of repression” against legal professionals and activists.

Bukele, who once branded himself “the world’s coolest dictator,” remains highly popular among Salvadorans, buoyed by his uncompromising stance on crime and his social media-driven public image. However, political analysts warn that the concentration of power in the executive risks tipping the country into full authoritarianism.

As El Salvador prepares for its next electoral cycle, the constitutional changes signal a dramatic shift in the nation’s political trajectory — one that could define its democratic future for years to come.