Ecuador's National Assembly [4] on Dec. 3 passed a constitutional amendment lifting presidential term limits [5], beginning in 2021. The 16 constitutional amendments were approved in a vote of 100-8 in a legislature where sitting President Rafael Correa's political party, Alianza Pais [6], has a two-thirds majority. Though Correa, who has been president since 2007 and will finish his second term in 2017, has said that he will not participate [7] in the next election in 2017, he will be eligible to run again in 2021 under the new amendment. The vote has caused protests [8], some violent, against the amendments by demonstrators who believe that the vote represents a power-grab by Correa. They wanted the National Assembly to either not vote on the proposal or to put it to a popular vote, as was done in Bolivia [9] earlier this year. While congressman Luis Fernando Torres called the vote constitutional fraud [10], Correa tweeted [11] on the matter to contend that he will continue to govern with "total democratic legitimacy."
From Jurist [12], Dec. 4. used with permission.
