El Salvador Approves Indefinite Presidential Re-Election, Extends Term to Six Years

El Salvador's parliament has approved constitutional changes extending the presidential term to six years and removing term limits, allowing President Nayib Bukele to seek indefinite re-election. The reforms also eliminate the presidential run-off system. Critics say the move undermines democracy.

On Thursday, lawmakers in El Salvador approved a series of constitutional amendments that extend the presidential term from five to six years and eliminate the restriction on presidential re-election, effectively allowing indefinite terms in office.

These changes to the country's constitution will enable incumbent President Nayib Bukele—who commands overwhelming support in the Legislative Assembly—to seek re-election without limitation.

The constitutional review and voting process were conducted swiftly in the Legislative Assembly. The amendments passed with the support of Bukele’s 57 allies, while only three opposition lawmakers voted against them.

The proposed changes were introduced by Ana Figueroa, a legislator from Bukele’s New Ideas party. In addition to extending the presidential term and lifting the re-election limit, the reforms also eliminate the second round of presidential elections, in which the two leading candidates from the first round would typically face off in a run-off.

The reforms not only extend the length of a presidential term and do away with the two-round system, but they also explicitly permit re-election “without reservations,” effectively allowing any sitting president to remain in power as long as they continue to win elections.

President Nayib Bukele, who has described himself as the “cool dictator,” has been in office since 2019. He was re-elected in 2024 with a sweeping majority after the Supreme Court overturned a constitutional ban on consecutive presidential terms, permitting him to run again.

Bukele’s re-election further strengthened his hold on state institutions and the legislature.

“Thank you for making history, fellow deputies,” said Ernesto Castro, president of the Legislative Assembly and a member of the New Ideas party, after the vote was concluded.

The opposition strongly condemned the reform process, especially the timing of its introduction.

“This day, democracy has died in El Salvador… The masks were removed,” said opposition lawmaker Marcela Villatoro during the parliamentary session, criticizing the government for pushing the changes while the country is distracted by the summer holiday season.