Constitutional reforms recently approved in El Salvador guarantee the continuity of democratic elections and clarify that the next nationwide polls will take place in February 2027, for the presidency, Legislative Assembly deputies, and municipal councils. Sociologists and political analysts René Martínez and Mauricio Rodríguez emphasized that indefinite presidential reelection does not disrupt the alternation of power, as it remains a decision made freely by citizens at the ballot box.
With 57 of the 60 deputies in the Legislative Assembly voting in favor, the Constitution of the Republic was amended on July 31 to allow indefinite presidential reelection while safeguarding the public’s right to democratically elect their leaders.
“Indefinite reelection, as a democratic possibility belonging to the voters, ensures that citizens have the final say. They can choose from multiple candidates who they want as president,” explained Martínez.
The reforms explicitly guarantee the people’s right to vote and clearly set the next election date for February 2027, reaffirming El Salvador’s commitment to representative democracy. Rodríguez added that these amendments do not limit opposition participation; rather, they reinforce the democratic system and the principle of popular sovereignty.
Political parties have confirmed participation in the upcoming elections. ARENA’s National Executive Council (COENA) and Vamos’ alternate representative, Cesia Rivas, stated their intent to contest in 2027, while the FMLN will decide internally, according to Secretary General Manuel Flores.
“Alternation should be viewed not just as a legal concept but as a political and social will that gives meaning to the Constitution,” Martínez said. He stressed that re-election is determined by voter choice, not by force or decree. Rodríguez criticized opposition claims suggesting the reforms pave the way for dictatorship, reaffirming that “it is the people who make the decisions at the polls, and that is democracy.”
A June survey conducted by the University Institute of Public Opinion (Iudop) at the University of California, Berkeley, found that 70.6% of Salvadoran citizens support President Nayib Bukele running for a third term, while 29.4% were undecided, opposed, or unaware of the issue.
