The Salvadoran legislature is a unicameral body.
Until 2024, it was made up of 84 deputies, all of whom are elected by direct popular vote according to open-list proportional representation to serve three-year terms and are eligible for immediate re-election. Of these, 64 were elected in 14 multi-seat constituencies, corresponding to the country's 14 departments, which return between 3 and 16 deputies each. The remaining 20 deputies were selected on the basis of a single national constituency.
To be eligible for election to the assembly, candidates must be (Art. 126, Constitution):
over 25;
Salvadoran citizens by birth, born of at least one parent to be a Salvadoran citizen;
of recognised honesty and education, and
have not had the privilege of one's rights as a citizen cancelled in the previous five years.
On 1 June 2023, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele issued a proposal to the Legislative Assembly to reduce the number of its seats from 84 to 60.[2] The proposal was passed by the Legislative Assembly on 7 June 2023 and went into effect on 1 May 2024.[3]
El Salvador also returns 20 deputies to the supranational Central American Parliament, also elected according to open-list proportional representation from a single national constituency.