The Legislative Assembly approved in February 2025 the suspension of the so-called political debt, a mechanism by which the state financed political parties participating in elections, paying them a certain amount for each vote they received, whether for president, members of parliament, or mayors.

This led to parties like the Partido Democrata Cristiano (Christian Democratic Party-PDC) not participating in the presidential elections, although they will be running for seats in the Chamber of Deputies and municipal councils.

Other groups, such as the Alianza Republicana Nacionalistas (Nationalist Republican Alliance-ARENA) and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front-FMLN), will be vying for the presidential seat, where President Nayib Bukele has a strong chance to be re-elected for a third term.

The Vamos (Let’s Go) center party also withdrew from the presidential race, and it is expected that smaller parties will join, in the coming days, those that will not be seeking the presidency.

The parties are preparing their internal election processes to elect the candidates for president, vice president, lawmakers, and municipal council members.

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