Parliament dissolved in Ecuador, country headed for early elections

In the South American country of Ecuador, the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced the start of the early electoral process after President Guillermo Lasso dissolved the Assembly.

In the pronouncement made after the meeting of the CNE general assembly, it was reported that the “Presidential and Early Legislative Elections 2023” are scheduled to be held in August in accordance with Decree Law No. 741.

The statement indicated that the decision was made unanimously and that the people will vote for the president, as well as for the vice president and members of the National Assembly in the elections. It was shared that the members of the CNE will meet again on Tuesday, May 23 to discuss the planning and agenda of the presidential and legislative elections.

President Lasso, who took office in Ecuador on May 24, 2021 and is expected to rule the country until May 2025, stated in his message to the nation on May 17 that the country is going through a “serious political crisis and turmoil internal”. he announced that he had signed the “cross death” decree with his authority. Under the decision, Lasso was reported to rule the country by decree until elections were held.

THE PRESIDENT’S FAREWELL WAS ON THE AGENDA

While the National Assembly met on May 16 at the request of the opposition, discussing the removal of Lasso, President Lasso dissolved the assembly using the authority granted to him by the Constitution.

The “cross death” decree, incorporated into the Ecuadorian Constitution in 2008, sought to put an end to the crisis between the President and the Legislative Branch. Lasso went down in the country’s history as the first president to implement this decree.

Lasso was charged with embezzlement in a contract between the state oil company and a tanker company and condoning irregularities during that time. The Constitutional Court had decided that an impeachment inquiry could be held in parliament for Lasso, who was accused of corruption, on March 30, 2023.

Lasso received a question of no confidence in parliament in June 2022 on corruption charges, but his impeachment request was rejected because it did not reach 92 votes. (AA)