El Salvador slashes size of Congress ahead of polls

SAN SALVADOR— El Salvador’s president signed into law an electoral reform on Wednesday that reduces the size of Congress by nearly a third, a move the ruling party says will reduce spending and critics say consolidates power ahead of elections. The reform, announced last week by President Nayib Bukele in an address marking four years in government, cuts the unicameral Congress’ size from 84 lawmakers to 60. Congress approved the law in the early hours of Wednesday. Bukele also proposed a reform to consolidate the country’s 262 municipalities into 44 districts. Opposition parties say they will reduce smaller parties’ political participation to a minimum. “This decision has an electoral interest, which is precisely to continue concentrating power, concentrating resources,” lawmaker Anabel Belloso of leftist party FMLN said. Presidential and legislative elections will be held in February.