The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador has reformed the Constitution to eliminate public funding for political parties in electoral contests, marking a significant shift in the country’s political landscape. The reform, which repeals Article 210 of the Constitution, was approved today with 58 votes from deputies of Nuevas Ideas, PCN, PDC, and ARENA’s Marcela Villatoro. The reform removes the controversial figure of «political debt» from the Constitution and secondary laws.
However, the measure faced opposition from some lawmakers, including Claudia Ortiz from VAMOS, who abstained from voting, and Francisco Lira from ARENA, who voted against the proposal. During the debate, Lira defended the current system, arguing that public funding for political campaigns is essential for maintaining the political party system.
The reform will now move to the next stage, where it will be ratified in a future plenary session. Under a previous modification to Article 248 of the Constitution, such a ratification can be approved by the same legislature, provided it secures the support of three-quarters of the deputies, or 45 votes.
President Nayib Bukele commented on the development, recalling that opposition parties had long demanded the removal of political debt but now opposed the measure when it was time to vote. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bukele criticized the opposition’s shift in position, accusing them of fabricating justifications for retaining political debt.
If ratified, the reform will eliminate the allocation of public funds to political parties during elections, a move that supporters argue will enhance transparency and reduce the influence of money in politics.