El Salvador Abolishes Presidential Term Limits, Allows Bukele To Rule Indefinitely

The changes, fast-tracked through an expedited legislative process, will also extend presidential terms from five to six years and move the next general election forward to 2027, according to BBC.

El Salvador’s congress has passed sweeping constitutional reforms that eliminate presidential term limits, allowing President Nayib Bukele to seek re-election indefinitely.

The changes, fast-tracked through an expedited legislative process, will also extend presidential terms from five to six years and move the next general election forward to 2027, according to BBC.

President Bukele, who has led the Central American nation since 2019, remains a deeply polarising figure. While his aggressive crackdown on crime has earned widespread public support, human rights organisations have raised alarm over mass arbitrary arrests and alleged abuses under his administration.

“Today, democracy has died in El Salvador,” declared Marcela Villatoro, a member of parliament from the opposition Republican National Alliance (Arena).

The reform was passed with the backing of President Bukele’s 57 allies in the Legislative Assembly, while only three opposition lawmakers voted against it. Critics warn the move could cement one-party dominance in El Salvador.

President Bukele, 44, secured a second term last year, despite a clear constitutional ban on consecutive re-election.

In 2021, El Salvador’s top court—stacked with judges loyal to Bukele—ruled that seeking re-election was a fundamental human right, effectively paving the way for his continued hold on power.

Under the newly approved reforms, Bukele’s current term will be shortened by two years to align all national elections—presidential, legislative, and municipal—for 2027, ending the current staggered system.

Though widely popular, Bukele remains a divisive figure. His aggressive anti-gang campaign has led to a dramatic drop in homicide rates, earning public praise. However, human rights organisations accuse his government of widespread abuses, including the arbitrary arrest of thousands under ongoing emergency measures—under which an estimated 75,000 people have been detained.