Source: ABC News
“Lawmakers in El Salvador took advantage of a newly streamlined constitutional reform process to eliminate public financing of political campaigns Wednesday, making good on a promise of President Nayib Bukele. The reform passed with 58 of the Congress’[s] 60 lawmakers voting in favor – carried largely by Bukele’s allies’ supermajority. The legislation now goes to Bukele for his signature. ‘Political parties can finance themselves like we financed ourselves in 2019,’ Bukele wrote on X. ‘Difficult? Yes, it was difficult. But wasn’t it better that way?’ Political parties had received money from the government based on the number of votes they obtain in elections, or had to return money that was advanced if their vote totals fall short of expectations.” (02/12/25)