Bukele asks for constitutional reform to give diaspora parliamentary representation
President Nayib Bukele proposed a constitutional reform to grant direct parliamentary representation to Salvadorans abroad, a key community that already participates in the electoral system and sustains a large part of the country's economy.
TL;DR
- President Nayib Bukele proposed a constitutional reform to grant direct parliamentary representation to Salvadorans living abroad.
- There are over 3 million Salvadorans living abroad who can vote if they have their identity document.
- Salvadorans abroad currently vote for president, vice president, and deputies, with their votes added to the San Salvador department's total.
- The reform would assign a specific number of deputies to represent the diaspora in the Legislative Assembly.
- These diaspora deputies would have a voice in national decisions, rather than their votes being allocated to San Salvador.
- Remittances from Salvadorans abroad represent 24% of El Salvador's GDP and are the main source of foreign currency.
- The timing of the reform's submission and approval, and whether it will be in place before the February 2027 general elections, is unknown.
- Bukele's government previously implemented electoral reforms before the 2024 elections, reducing the number of deputies and modifying the electoral formula.